ROLLA, Mo. – Missouri S&T sophomore defensive end Joe Ridpath (Shelbina, Mo./South Shelby) has been selected as the Great Lakes Football Conference's “Defensive Player of the Week” after his performance in the Miners' 35-14 victory over Lincoln Saturday at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.

Ridpath recorded a career-high 10 tackles in the game, including three for a loss, as well as a forced fumble that S&T recovered and later scored on. One of the tackles for a loss was for a safety, the first recorded by the Miner defense in six seasons.

The forced fumble came on Lincoln's first possession of the game, as he got a hit on quarterback Josh Goffigan as he was making a pitch. S&T's Loren Severs (Macomb, Ill./Macomb) recovered the fumble and the Miners would get a field goal off the turnover.

In the second quarter, Ridpath got to Goffigan again in the end zone for a safety that put the Miners in front 12-0 at the time. The S&T defense held Lincoln to 157 yards of total offense in the contest.

The Miners, who have won three games in a row, return to action Saturday when they play at Southwest Baptist.