BOILING SPRINGS - Gardner-Webb sophomore Mario E. Brown (Greenville, S.C. / J.L. Mann HS) earned two national honors on Monday afternoon, including being named I-AA National Defensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network.

Brown was named a I-AA.org Weekly All-Star after his performance against Southeastern Louisiana as well, in addition to his National Defensive Player of the Week award. I-AA.org and The Sports Network are considered the national authorities on the coverage of Division I-AA football.

Brown (6-2, 234) shattered the Big South Conference's single-game record for tackles in the Bulldogs' 28-21 win at Southeastern Louisiana, making 25 stops (15 solo). He made four of those stops on the game-winning defensive stand, as GWU held inside its own 10-yard line in the final minute. Brown's stop on a third-and-5 screen pass late in the fourth quarter, which forced a fourth-and-4 for the Lions at the GWU six-yard line, was likely his biggest. He and the Bulldog front seven forced a throw out of bounds on fourth down with 52 seconds left - sealing Gardner-Webb's second road win of the season.

Brown's 21-yard interception return early in the third quarter provided second-half momentum for Gardner-Webb, with the Bulldogs responding to a 10-0 deficit by scoring on the very next offensive play from the SLU 14-yard line.

Making just his fifth career start, Brown also recorded a career-best 3.0 tackles for loss and had two quarterback pressures.

Brown leads the Bulldogs with 51 tackles (28 solo) and three interceptions, and ranks No. 18 nationally in both tackles (10.2) and interceptions (0.6) per game this season.

Gardner-Webb (3-2) will enjoy an open date this weekend before returning to action on Saturday, Oct. 14 at home against Division II Glenville State.

Both of the Bulldogs' losses this season are to teams currently ranked in the I-AA Top 25 by The Sports Network, with UT Martin (No. 22) and Appalachian State (No. 2) each among the nation's elite this week.