Sept. 10, 2007

Erie, Pa. - Mercyhurst running back Richard Stokes was named Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletics Conference (GLIAC) Offensive Player of the Week and linebacker Charlie Gleisner was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week following the Lakers' 42-23 road win over Ferris State Saturday.

Stokes and Gleisner were instrumental in Mercyhurst's victory, a win that snapped a 20-game losing streak in games played in the state of Michigan dating back to the 2000 season. With the victory, the Lakers are now 2-1 and have yet to play a home game. In 2006, Mercyhurst went 0-5 on the road.

Stokes had 244 yards rushing and three touchdowns, carrying the ball a school-record 37 times. He added 26 yards receiving and 91 yards on three kick returns for 361 all-purpose yards. The rushing total is the second-highest single game mark in school history and Stokes is just the third running back in program history to go over 200 yards in a game.

After Ferris State took an early 3-0 lead on a Jim Yates field goal, Stokes had a 39-yard run on the first play from scrimmage and capped off the drive with his first touchdown of the game, a 22-yard scamper. He added a five-yard touchdown in the second that put the Lakers on top 21-10 and the back-breaking touchdown on a one-yard plunge with 1:20 to play in the contest to make the score 42-23.

Gleisner was named GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week after posting eight tackles (four solo) and a sack defensively. He also lined up in the backfield in short yardage situations, catching the first pass of his career, a one-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter that put Mercyhurst on top 14-10, a lead the Lakers would never relinquish. The reception was also the first touchdown of Gleisner's career.

Gleisner led the defense that limited Ferris State quarterback C.J. Van Wieren. A week ago, Van Wieren was named Co-National Offensive Player of the Week by D2Football.com after throwing for 294 yards and rushing for 118 more. Although he still threw for 266 yards, he was just 21-of-42 passing against the Mercyhurst defense and rushed for only 20 yards.

Mercyhurst improved to 1-1 in GLIAC play with the win and will play its home-opener Saturday when the Lakers host Wayne State at Tullio Field at 1:30 p.m.