Barnes and Gioia Earn GLVC Weekly Honors After 59-0 Shutout Win

11/10/2025 1:55:00 PM

By: Madelyn Stephen, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Missouri S&T's Max Barnes (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley Northwest) and Tyler Gioia (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison) have been named Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Players of the Week, announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

Barnes was named Defensive Player of the Week, while Gioia earned Special Teams Player of the Week recognition following standout performances in the Miners' 59-0 road victory over Lincoln (Mo.) on Saturday.

Defensive Player of the Week – Max Barnes (Overland Park, KS/Blue Valley Northwest)
Barnes led a relentless Missouri S&T defense that posted its first shutout in four years and its first against a GLVC opponent since 2016.

The sophomore turned in a historic performance, nabbing three interceptions to tie the program's single-game record by a player, while adding three total tackles, including two solo stops. His efforts helped the Miners' defense completely stifle the Blue Tigers, holding them to zero points and just 191 total yards of offense.

This marks Barnes' first career GLVC Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Special Teams Player of the Week – Tyler Gioia (Huntington Beach, CA/Edison)
Gioia made a massive impact on special teams, blocking one punt and recovering another in the end zone for a touchdown, helping S&T seize control early in the game.

The junior contributed to three total blocked punts on the day, as the Miners made national history, becoming just the sixth team in NCAA Division II history and the first in GLVC history to return two blocked punts for touchdowns in a single game.

This marks Gioia's first career GLVC Special Teams Player of the Week award and third career GLVC weekly honor overall.

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