SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Shippensburg University redshirt-sophomore quarterback Riley Gunnels was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Football Offensive Athlete of the Week on Monday afternoon by the league office after achieving several career bests in Saturday's 41-28 victory over Millersville.
 
Gunnels, who ranks third in the PSAC in passing yards per game (237.5), and second in total passing yards (1425), erupted for a career-high 412 passing yards in a 41-28 win over Millersville. Gunnels was 27-of-44 with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. 
 
He led an SU offense that racked up 587 yards against the Marauders, its most in a game since Sept. 18, 2021. SU scored on six of its first eight possessions and had eight drives of more than 50 yards. Each of Shippensburg's five touchdowns was scored by a different player. SU recorded 35 first downs, the most since the school record (38) was set in the historic 73-35 win at Kutztown on Oct. 13, 2012 – the same game in which Zach Zulli tied the PSAC's single-game passing touchdowns record (nine) and Trevor Harman tied the PSAC single-game reception (18) and receiving touchdown (five) records.
                                                                       
Gunnels had 11 pass plays of 15 or more yards. SU out-gained the Marauders 587-315 and possessed the ball for more than 40 minutes. He is the first Raider quarterback to have a 300-yard passing game since Sam Johnson III achieved the feat (343 yards) on Sept. 24, 2022, and the first Raider quarterback to throw for at least 400 yards in a game since Brycen Mussina did so on Oct. 12, 2019. Gunnels' 412 passing yards are the most by a Raider quarterback in a single game since Mussina threw for 510 yards on Oct. 20, 2018.
 
It is the first PSAC weekly award of Gunnels' career. He is the first Eastern Division Athlete of the Week award winner for the Raiders since Vincent Micucci earned Co-Athlete honors on Oct. 14, 2024. Overall, it is the second football weekly award of the season for Shippensburg, as Alex Sauve earned Defensive Athlete of the Week honors on Sept. 29.