FAIRMONT, W. Va. - The Mountain East Conference has announced Monday the winners of this week’s Football Player of the Week awards. The MEC Player of the Week awards are presented by The Health Plan.

West Liberty’s running back Hunter Patterson was selected as the MEC Offensive Player of the Week, Wheeling’s outside linebacker Jalen Higginbotham was named the MEC Defensive Player of the Week, and Frostburg State’s wide receiver Ray Adames was named the MEC Special Teams Player of the Week.

Patterson, a senior from Chester, West Virginia had a standout performance in the Hilltoppers 35-14 win over Post on Sept. 12. The running back had 26 carries, for 191 yards along with four rushing touchdowns. In the air, Patterson connected on a seven-yard pass, scoring his fifth touchdown of the game. Patterson leads the Mountain East in three statistical categories, including 184.0 average rushing yards, 20.0 points and 237.3 all-purpose yards per game. 

Higginbotham, a sophomore from Suitland, Maryland set a career high with 15.0 total tackles for the Cardinals, including seven solo and eight assisted against Lake Erie on Sept. 12. Additionally, the outside linebacker added 1.0 tackles for a loss.

Adames, a junior from Woodbridge, Virginia had a key punt block and recovery in Frostburg State’s 24-19 victory over Assumption on Sept. 12. With FSU leading 17-13 at the end of the third quarter, the wide receiver broke through to block a Greyhound punt, recovering it at the three-yard line to set up a touchdown for the Bobcats to take a 24-13 lead. Offensively, he added five catches for 111 yards, including a 77-yard touchdown.

2026 MEC FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
8/31: Joe Dailey, West Virginia State
9/7: JD Sherrod, Glenville State
9/14: Hunter Patterson, West Liberty

2026 MEC FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
8/31: Neal Luca, West Liberty
9/7: Knowel Smith, Glenville State
9/14: Jalen Higginbotham, Wheeling

2026 MEC FOOTBALL SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
8/31: Christian Torres, Concord 
9/7: Ethan Vargo Thomas, Fairmont State
9/14: Ray Adames, Frostburg State