MEC Players of the Week for Week 3

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Mountain East Conference today announced its Football Players of the Week for Week 3 of the 2023 season.

The MEC Football Player of the Week awards are presented by The Health Plan.

West Virginia State running back Joel Felder was recognized as the Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season, while Charleston cornerback Roderick Webb and Glenville State linebacker Seth Arnold shared Defensive Player of the Week accolades. Wheeling kicker Joao Lima was voted the Special Teams Player of the Week.

Felder, a junior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., carried the ball 29 times for 159 yards and two touchdowns as West Virginia State picked up a 47-27 victory over Concord Saturday afternoon. Felder averaged 5.5 yards per carry and scored on touchdowns runs of 6- and 18-yards. Felder has now surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark in six consecutive games and currently ranks fourth in the nation with 428 yards through the first three weeks of the 2023 season. Felder is averaging 142.7 yards per game this season.

Arnold, a senior from Burnsville, W.Va., led the Glenville State defense with 14 tackles in Saturday’s upset win over Notre Dame College. Arnold had eight solo stops. In addition, he also recorded a sack and forced a fumble in the win. The GSU defense held Notre Dame to just 21 points on Saturday, over 30 points below the Falcons’ season average (55.0 points/game entering Week 3).

Webb, a sophomore from Newport News, Va., came up with two interceptions to lead the Charleston secondary during Saturday’s win over UNC Pembroke. Webb’s first interception came early in the second quarter to set the UC offense up at midfield. His second interception came with 28 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter on UNCP’s final offensive possession. The pick sealed the eight-point Charleston win.

Lima, a junior from Brazil, went 3-for-3 on field goals and 4-of-5 on extra-points as Wheeling rallied past Fairmont State on Saturday. Lima connected on field goals of 42-, 40-, and 20-yards in the win. His 40-yard field goal with three minutes remaining in the fourth helped Wheeling cut its deficit to just seven points, making it a one possession game. In the last two weeks, Lima has made four field goals of 40+ yards.