SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – Shippensburg University sophomore punt returner Ty Neal was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Football Special Teams Athlete of the Week on Monday afternoon by the league office.
 
Neal returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown to create the final margin in SU's win 43-14 win over West Chester. The special teams score capped a 20-point fourth quarter for the Raiders and marked the first touchdown for the Raiders from a punt return since Cole Chiappialle had a 79-yard TD return at Millersville on Oct. 22, 2016.
 
Neal's touchdown was its first of any kind on a punt since Oct. 8 2022 in a 20-13 comeback win at West Chester in which it blocked a punt that was recovered in the end zone for a TD.
 
SU had 53 punt return yards for the season entering Saturday (31 by Neal) and had just 62 punt return yards in the entire 2024 season (all by Neal) prior to Neal's 70-yard run back.
 
The Raiders wrapped up PSAC East play Saturday with their largest margin of victory over West Chester since the inaugural meeting between the teams 104 years ago, as the Raiders scored 29 unanswered points in the second half to claim the 29-point margin.
 
The Raiders won two of the three weekly awards for Week 10. In addition to Neal, redshirt-sophomore Andre Weidman earned PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Week honors. Weidman rushed for four touchdowns Saturday.
 
It is the first PSAC weekly award of Neal's career. He is the first Eastern Division Special Teams Athlete of the Week award winner for the Raiders since Tanner Hess on Sept. 16, 2024.