Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University senior kicker/punter Ethan Evans has added another huge honor to a list of his accolades, earning National Special Teams Player of the Week recognition from D2Football.com. Evans earns national honors for the first time in his career, after earning SAC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades each of the last two weeks. He is the first Bulldog to earn National Player of the Week recognition since Cardell Rawlings in 2019.

Evans played a huge role in Wingate's 27-10 win at Tusculum Saturday in the SAC opener as the 'Dogs moved to 3-0 on the season. The All-SAC honoree averaged 51 yards per punt on six punts, pinning four of them inside the Tusculum 10-yard line with three going at least 50 yards. He also hit all three PATs, added a 40-yard field goal and had four touchbacks on six kickoffs. His first punt went 60 yards and pinned Tusculum back inside its own 10. His next punt was a 41-yarder downed at the Tusculum one. That was followed by a 58-yard effort with a negative one-yard return that put the Pioneers at their own seven. He then had a 56-yarder that put the Pioneers at their own four.

Evans leads the nation with his average of 50.7 yards per punt, while ranking second nationally in net punting (44.1). Of his 18 punts this year, 10 have gone over 50 yards and eight have put the opponent inside the 20. He has also made all nine PATs on the year and has 10 touchbacks on 14 kickoffs.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, playing at home for the first time this year when Emory & Henry comes to Irwin Belk Stadium for a 6 p.m. kickoff. Wingate is celebrating Family Weekend this weekend, while Saturday will also be Student-Athlete Appreciation Night.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a laboratory of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina. Wingate offers 38 undergraduate majors as well as seven master's and four doctoral degrees. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences; the Levine College of Health Sciences; the Byrum School of Business; the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. 

Wingate is a leader in healthcare education, and nearly one in five Wingate undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 25 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award for 14 years straight. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.