Miami's Todd Sievers Named BIG EAST Special Teams Player Of The Week

Nov. 12, 2001

Providence, R.I. – Miami placekicker Todd Sievers captured Special Teams Player of the Week while Pittsburgh quarterback David Priestley has been named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week, the league announced. Syracuse defensive end Dwight Freeney has captured defensive honors.

Sievers (Ankeny, Iowa) accounted for 12 of his team’s points in the Hurricanes’ 18-7 win at Boston College. The junior placekicker converted four field goals, with two from distances over 40 yards. Included in the kicks was a career-long 47-yard field goal. Sievers has made 16-of-18 field goals (88.9 percent) this season and leads the BIG EAST in scoring with 85 points. It is his second weekly award this season.

Priestley (Los Alamitos, Calif.) accounted for five touchdowns in the Panthers’ 42-0 victory at Rutgers. The senior quarterback completed 17-of-25 passes for 307 yards, the fourth 300-yard passing effort of his career. He threw for touchdowns of nine, 21, 13 and 28 yards. He also added a 10-yard rushing score. Priestley has averaged 252 yards, thrown nine touchdowns and completed 65 percent (51-of-79) of his passes over the last three games, all Pittsburgh victories.

Freeney (Bloomfield, Conn.) led the Syracuse defense in a 24-13 win over West Virginia. The senior defensive end had seven tackles (five solo), including four for losses of 22 yards. He had two sacks (17 yards), setting a SU and NCAA record for sacks in a season (16.5). He also forced two fumbles, one of which he recovered. Freeney has 26 tackles for loss this season, tying the BIG EAST season mark. He has won Defensive Player of the Week four times this year, tying the conference single-season record held by Miami’s Dan Morgan (2000) and Nate Webster (1999).

– BIG EAST –