ROLLA, Mo. – Spencer Elrod (Lancaster, Calif./), who became the first Missouri S&T player to return the opening kickoff of a game for a touchdown in 51 seasons, was named today as the Great Lakes Valley Conference's special teams "Player of the Week" for his performance in that contest.

He returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown in the Miners' 40-23 loss at Midwestern State, starting a night in which he accumulated a GLVC record 226 yards on seven kickoff returns – an average of 32.3 yards per runback – and 293 all-purpose yards.  Of his seven kickoff returns in the game, five of them covered at least 23 yards.

Elrod became the first Miner since 1963 to return the opening kickoff of a game for a touchdown and third to do so since 1940.  It also marked the first time since the GLVC began sponsoring football in 2012 that a league player began the game by returning a kickoff for score.

Elrod added two pass receptions in the game for 69 yards to add to his all-purpose total of 293, the fourth-most in a game in school history and most by a Miner in a game since 2007.  The 293 yards are also the most by a player in the GLVC this season and fourth-most in a game in league history.

The Miners will open their home and GLVC schedule Saturday when they host Truman State at 6:30 p.m. at Allgood-Bailey Stadium.