By Robert McKinney, Athletics Communications Director, (503) 370-6110

SALEM, ORE. -- Junior wide receiver Jake Knecht (Issaquah, WA/Skyline HS/Illinois State Univ.) has been selected as the Northwest Conference Football Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week after providing several big plays on Saturday, Sept. 17, as Willamette defeated Southern Oregon University 31-9. Knecht contributed 213 all-purpose yards during the game.

Knecht scored on a 67-yard catch to give Willamette a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter. Later in the second quarter, he hauled in a 44-yard pass to the SOU 1-yard line that set up a WU touchdown for a 17-9 halftime lead.

In the fourth quarter, he tallied his second touchdown of the game on an 80-yard reverse that gave Willamette a 31-9 lead with 13:27 left in the game. Knecht finished the afternoon with four catches for 130 yards to go along with his 80 rushing yards. He added several additional yards on kick returns.

Willamette improved to 1-2 on the season. The Bearcats have an open date on Sept. 24, but will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 1 against archrival Linfield College in the NWC opener for both teams. Game time at McCulloch Stadium in Salem, Ore., is set for 4 p.m. (PDT).