DeKALB – Junior defensive end Raishein Thomas earned MAC West Defensive Player of the Week in NIU football’s (6-6, 5-3 MAC) 37-27 win Saturday over Kent State University.

Thomas led the Huskies with 10 tackles Saturday – including a career high seven solo tackles and one tackle for loss – to help the Huskies hold the Golden Flashes to 17 second half rushing yards. 

Saturday was Thomas’ second double figure tackle game of the season. Thomas also led the Huskies with 35 solo tackles and seven tackles for loss. 

Thomas finished the season as the Huskies’ leading tackler with 69 total tackles, the most by an FBS defensive lineman in the country, according to ESPN. He was the only defensive lineman in the country to lead his team in tackles. 

This is the third straight week a Huskie has earned a MAC Player of the Week honor. Thomas follows redshirt wide receiver Dane Pardridge who won the MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week on Nov. 14 and redshirt senior linebacker Tyler Jackson who won the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 7.

Thomas is the sixth Huskie to win a MAC West Player of the Week award and the second player to win the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week.

In addition to Pardridge and Jackson, Thomas joins redshirt junior punter Tom Foley, redshirt sophomore kicker Kanon Woodill and junior running back Antario Brown as Huskies to earn a MAC West Player of the Week honor.

The opponent, date and time of the Huskies’ bowl game will be determined Sunday on “Selection Sunday.”