SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. -- Shippensburg University junior linebacker Alex Sauve has been named the D2Football.com National Defensive Player of the Week following a career-best performance in SU's win over West Virginia Wesleyan last Thursday.
 
Sauve finished last week's game with a game high and career-high 17 tackles, aiding in the Raiders' 24-14 victory. The 17 tackles included 3.5 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and an eight-yard sack.
 
Sauve also forced two fumbles and in the first quarter recovered a fumble in the Raider end zone and returned it 42 yards. That fumble was forced by safety Dave Hines Jr. after a hit dislodged the ball one yard short of the Raider end zone.
 
On special teams, Sauve – who was serving as the long snapper for most of the night – hustled down field and successfully downed two punts inside the 5-yard line. One was downed at the 1-yard line and another was downed at the 3-yard line.
 
The 17 tackles are five more than Sauve's previous single-game best. Also among his tackles was a stop on a zero-yard run and another that came on a fourth-down play that forced a turnover on downs.
 
Sauve joins Edward Waters wide receiver Izaiah Jean-Baptiste (Offensive) and UNC Pembroke return specialist Malik Brown (Special Teams) in receiving D2Football.com national weekly honors.
 
He is the first Raider to receive national recognition from D2Football.com in more than a decade. Return specialist Shannon Maura was named D2Football.com Special Teams Player of the Week after producing 240 return yards in September of 2013. Additionally, linebacker Jaron Nalewak was named D2Football.com Co-Defensive Athlete of the Week on Oct. 18, 2006.