Walker Named GLIAC
Special Teams Player-of-the-Week

In recognition of his record-setting performance, junior wide receiver Sterling Walker (Detroit, MI/Detroit Redford) was named the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Special Teams Player-of-the-Week after Wayne State's 44-41 victory over Northern Michigan.

It is the first time Walker has earned the conference award, and he is the second Warrior to be honored as Special Teams Player-of-the-Week in 2001. Freshman placekicker Stephen Wayne (Farmington, MI) earned the award after kicking a 33-yard field goal with no time remaining in Wayne State's 19-16 win at Ashland on Sept. 8.

Walker set a WSU single-game record at Northern Michigan, tied one single-play record, and missed another record by two yards. [details below]

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Warriors Win At Northern Michigan

Wayne, Walker Key Warriors’ Road Victory
For the second straight week, Wayne State was involved in a high scoring GLIAC contest. The first was a 44-43 loss at Findlay Sept. 29. This time it was a 44-41 victory at Northern Michigan. The win is the Warriors’ second this season, both coming on the road, and brings Wayne’s overall record to 2-3. In the Great Lakes Conference WSU is 2-2.

That’s a total of 172 points scored in both games, 87 by Wayne State. In the Warriors’ first three games combined, they scored only 47 points.

For the second time this season, the Warriors won the game on the kicking of freshman Stephen Wayne (Farmington, MI). In Wayne State’s 19-16 win over Ashland Sept. 8, Wayne kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired for the victory. Against Northern Michigan, Wayne booted a 20-yard field goal as the clock ticked down to one second remaining in the contest. He had missed a 39-yard attempt earlier in the contest.

Junior wide receiver Sterling Walker (Detroit, MI/Detroit Redford) had an outstanding overall contest for the Warriors. He finished with single-game 346 net all-purpose yards, and came within two yards of tying the Warriors’ record for longest kickoff return. He did tie the Warriors’ single-game record for longest pass reception. On the game’s opening play, Walker returned the kickoff for a 94-yard touchdown. He finished the game with three kickoff returns for 123 yards.

Walker was also the Warriors’ top receiver, finishing with 216 net receiving yards on eight catches. And he returned three punts for seven net yards. His 96-yard touchdown reception ties the single-play record.

That TD was thrown by sophomore quarterback Dan Gray (Belle River, ONT/District). In the Findlay game Gray threw a team-record five touchdown passes. Against Northern Michigan he threw four, including two to Walker. Gray also threw four interceptions, and the Warriors lost a total of three fumbles.

Junior runningback Thabiti Williamson (Ann Arbor, MI/Ann Arbor Huron) continues his recovery from pre-season injuries. He led the team in rushing with 96 net yards on 14 carries, and his three-yard rush with four seconds remaining setup Wayne’s game-winning field goal attempt.

Freshman defensive back Dan Smitherman (Westland, MI/Westland John Glenn) scored his first collegiate touchdown in the Superior Dome, returned a recovered fumble for 23 yards and a score with 6:04 remaining in the second quarter. He also picked off his third pass of the season, returning it for 11 yards. Smitherman leads the team in interceptions.

Wayne Kicks Wayne State To Both Victories
For a first-year player, Stephen Wayne (Farmington, MI) is doing a job most veteran players don’t excel at. Wayne State has won two games this season to date, and both have resulted from field goals by Wayne.Saturday at Northern Michigan, Wayne booted a 20-yard field goal with one second remaining to break a 41-41 tie and give WSU the 44-41 victory. He kicked the successful field goal after Northern Michigan called timeout to ice him. Wayne had missed a 39-yard field goal attempt in the third quarter.

His first game-winning heroics came against Ashland Sept. 8. Tied 16-all and after Ashland called a timeout, Wayne booted a 33-yard field goal as time expired, sealing Wayne State’s 19-16 victory. He also kicked a 35-yard field goal earlier in the contest. Wayne was named the GLIAC Special Teams Player-of-the-Week for the Ashland contest.

Wayne has converted four of his seven field goal attempts this season, a 57.1 conversion percentage.

Walker’s All-Purpose Yards A Record Breaker
Junior wide receiver Sterling Walker (Detroit, MI/Detroit Redford) set a WSU single-game record at Northern Michigan, tied one single-play record, and missed another record by two yards. Walker’s 346 net all-purpose yards surpasses the Warriors’ old standard of 298 set by junior runningback Thabiti Williamson (Ann Arbor, MI/Ann Arbor Huron) last season against Mercyhurst.

Walker led all receivers with 216 net yards on eight receptions, and he scored two touchdowns on catches of 11- and 96-yards. Both TDs came early in the second quarter.

His 96-yard touchdown reception, thrown to him by sophomore quarterback Dan Gray (Belle River, ONT/District), ties the Warriors’ single-play record first set by receiver Mark Woodson and quarterback Greg Goldstein against Northwood in 1981. Senior receiver Pierre Brown (West Bloomfield, MI) and senior quarterback Jason Charron (Clinton Township, MI/Clintondale) tied the record last season against Hillsdale.

His 216 net yards caught is the third-best single-game mark in Warrior history. WSU Hall of Famer Dick Lisabeth holds the record of 239 net yards caught against North Dakota in 1954. Senior receiver Pierre Brown (West Bloomfield, MI) is second with 232 net yards against Hillsdale last season. Walker is only the fourth Warrior to finish with over 200 net yards caught in a game. Brown has accomplished the feat three times in his career, including last week’s 205 net yards caught against Findlay.

Walker returned three kickoffs for 123 net yards, including the first for a 94-yard touchdown on the game’s opening play. That play was the second-longest kickoff return in WSU history, tying Walker for second on the list with Jon Roberts, who returned a kickoff 94 yards against Bloomsburg in 1996. Lisabeth, who returned a kickoff 96 yards versus Iowa State in 1953, holds the record.

Walker also had three punt returns for seven yards versus Northern Michigan. He is Wayne State’s GLIAC Offense and Special Teams Players-of-the-Week nominee.

For the season Walker is averaging a team-leading 158.8 net all-purpose yards per game. He has a total of 794 net all-purpose yards.

Smitherman Scores First College TD
Freshman defensive back Dan Smitherman (Westland, MI/Westland John Glenn) scored his first collegiate touchdown in the Northern Michigan game, returning a 23-yard fumble recovery with 6:04 remaining in the second quarter. Wayne State scored 21 points in the second quarter.

Smitherman also picked off his third interception of the season, returning this one for 11 yards. Smitherman leads the Warriors in interceptions. Smitherman led the team in total tackles versus the Wildcats with 13, and he added two tackles for two yards in losses, and five pass breakups.

He is Wayne State’s GLIAC Defense Player-of-the-Week nominee.

Gray Throws 4 More TDs
Sophomore quarterback Dan Gray (Belle River, ONT/District) followed his single-game record five touchdown passing performance against Findlay with four more in the victory at Northern Michigan. He has now
thrown 11 for the season in only four games. Gray has completed 72 passes on 166 attempts for 1,167 net yards, and he has thrown seven interceptions.

Brown Continues Scoring Streak
For Harlon Hill candidate and senior receiver Pierre Brown (West Bloomfield, MI), it was a quiet game at Northern Michigan. He kept his streak alive of scoring at least one touchdown in every game so far, scoring on a 29-yard reception in the first quarter. But he finished with only two catches for 41 net yards, his lowest output of the season.

Brown has caught 32 passes this season for 596 net yards and nine touchdowns. He is averaging 119.2 net yards receiving per game.

Wayne State’s 67th Homecoming Game Next
Wayne State hosts Hillsdale this Saturday, Oct. 13 in its 67th Homecoming game. Except for two years during World War II (1943-44), the Warriors have played a homecoming game each season since 1935. The 1943 game against Otterbein and 1944 game against Muskingum were canceled due to travel restrictions during the war.

Wayne State’s overall homecoming record is 32-31-1 for a 48.4 winning percentage. Saturday’s homecoming opponent, Hillsdale, was also the Warriors’ first-ever homecoming opponent in 1935.

The two teams have met a total of five times in Wayne State’s homecoming game, the most appearances of any Wayne opponent in the game. Hillsdale has won all five meetings, including the first, 9 to 6. The Warriors’ have never reached double digits in the homecoming series against Hillsdale. They lost in 1977 7-6, in 1982 20-7, in 1994 56-9, and in 1996 14-0.

In last year’s homecoming game Wayne State defeated Northern Michigan 35-14, breaking a six-game losing streak in the homecoming series.

Junior runningback Thabiti Williamson (Ann Arbor, MI/Ann Arbor Huron) scored three touchdowns on carries of 1-, 2- and 1-yards en route to 164 net yards rushing. The loss was Northern Michigan’s first in the GLIAC after four victories.

The College Football Hall of Fame will have its Hall of Fame RV at Wayne State Stadium. College fans can view the touring exhibit, learning more about the college game.

The University will also hold a pre-game Homecoming parade, and there will be other pre-game and halftime events.

Wayne State returns to the road Saturday, Oct. 20 to face Saginaw Valley State at 12 noon.