ST. LOUIS – Missouri State kicker Jose Pizano (So., Lehi, Utah) was named Missouri Valley Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week today for his role in lifting the Bears past No. 10-ranked Northern Iowa on Saturday in Cedar Falls.
 
Pizano, a transfer from Snow College, had a pivotal role in MSU's first win at UNI since 1998. He converted both of his field goal attempts and the game's only extra point in a defensive clash that saw just one TD scored. Pizano's 31-yard field goal in the second quarter came on the heels of a key interception by Montrae Braswell and pushed the visiting Bears ahead 10-0 at the time. Later in the game, with UNI gaining, Pizano capped a 55-yard scoring drive with a 33-yard field goal to give MSU a 13-6 lead and a seven-point cushion with just 4:30 remaining.
 
He also averaged 61.5 yards on four kickoffs vs. UNI. He is now 10-for-12 on field goals for the season and a perfect 12-for-12 on extra points.
 
Pizano is Missouri State's third MVFC award winner of the spring, joining teammates Kevin Ellis and Braswell who were both named Valley Defensive Players of the Week in wins at Western Illinois and South Dakota, respectively.
 
Also recognized this week were: FB Hunter Luepke of North Dakota State (Offense), LB Grant Dixon of Youngstown State (Defense), and RB Isaiah Davis of South Dakota State (Newcomer).
 
The Bears are now 3-1 in conference play -- just a half game behind league co-leaders North Dakota, North Dakota State and South Dakota State -- as they head into the second half of the Valley season.
 
MSU returns to Robert W. Plaster Stadium on Saturday when they host rival Southern Illinois (4-2, 3-2 MVFC) at 2 p.m. Tickets for the SIU game are available at MissouriStateBears.com or by visiting the Old Missouri Bank Box Office at JQH Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.
 
#BearsUnite