Football | 11/2/2026 3:59:06 PM

NORFOLK, Va. — The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) has announced its weekly football honors following Week 9 of the 2026 season. South Carolina State’s Keely Watson and North Carolina Central’s Khareem Thompson earned Offensive Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively.

Delaware State kicker Matteo Bracalenti was named Rookie of the Week, while North Carolina Central’s Riley Daniels earned Specialist of the Week honors. South Carolina State’s James Reddick II rounded out the selections as Offensive Lineman of the Week.

Offensive Player of the Week: Keely Watson | SCSU | QB | Jacksonville, Fla.
Watson completed 27-of-36 passes for 279 yards and four touchdowns in South Carolina State’s 51-10 win over Morgan State. He posted a 75 percent completion rate while leading the Bulldogs to 509 yards of total offense. His performance helped South Carolina State extend its MEAC winning streak to 12 consecutive games.

Defensive Player of the Week: Khareem Thompson | NCCU | DL | Charlotte, N.C.
Thompson helped lead an Eagles defense that held Howard, which entered the game averaging 20.4 points per contest, scoreless in a 34-0 victory. The defense allowed a season-low 114 yards of total offense, including just 44 passing yards, and limited the Bison to four first downs and 2-for-15 on third-down conversions. Thompson finished with seven tackles (three solo), a half sack, 2.5 tackles for loss and a quarterback hurry.

Rookie of the Week: Matteo Bracalenti | DSU | K | Westgrove, Pa.
Bracalenti connected on a 35-yard field goal as time expired to give Delaware State a 36-33 victory over Norfolk State. He finished 2-for-2 on field goal attempts, also connecting from 23 yards, and converted all three of his extra-point attempts.

Offensive Lineman of the Week: James Reddick II | SCSU | OL | Fort Valley, Ga.
Reddick anchored an offensive line that helped South Carolina State total 509 yards of offense, including 279 passing yards and 213 rushing yards, in its 51-10 victory over Morgan State. The graduate center earned a 91 percent blocking grade and recorded eight pancake blocks while allowing no sacks or penalties.

Specialist of the Week: Riley Daniels | NCCU | K | Raleigh, N.C.
Daniels connected on two field goals in the second quarter of North Carolina Central’s win over Howard, marking his fourth game this season with multiple made field goals. The freshman kicker has accounted for 64 points on the season.

Other Notable Performances

• Marqui Adams (DSU) – Adams played a key role in Delaware State’s 36-33 victory over Norfolk State, completing 17-of-23 passes for 243 yards and four touchdowns. He added 70 rushing yards to finish with 310 yards of total offense.
• Elyjah Mitchell (NSU) – Mitchell led Norfolk State with five receptions for a game-high 91 receiving yards in the Spartans’ 36-33 loss to Delaware State. He averaged 18.2 yards per reception, highlighted by a 49-yard catch that moved Norfolk State inside the Delaware State 10-yard line.

About the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) enters its 56th year of intercollegiate competition with the 2026–27 academic year. Headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia, the MEAC is comprised of eight distinguished Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) along the Atlantic seaboard: Coppin State University, Delaware State University, Howard University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Morgan State University, Norfolk State University, North Carolina Central University, and South Carolina State University. Since its founding in 1970, the MEAC has been dedicated to promoting academic excellence, sportsmanship, and the personal growth of student athletes. For more information, visit www.MEACSports.com.