SELINSGROVE, PA – Susquehanna University freshman free safety Ben Gibboney has been named the Middle Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the conference announced Sunday.

Gibboney (Huntingdon, PA/Huntingdon Area H.S.), in his third career start and second as the regular free safety, made a career-high 11 tackles and picked off two passes as Susquehanna held Juniata to 85 yards below their season average in a 45-17 victory on Saturday afternoon.

Gibboney, whose father Tom was the Eagles’ head coach from 1995-97, recorded 10 solo stops and helped the Crusaders limit Juniata to just 18 completions in 48 attempts for 184 yards. For the season, Gibboney ranks fifth among Susquehanna defenders with 30 tackles.

The MAC honor marks the fifth consecutive week that a Susquehanna player has been recognized by the conference and the second time in three weeks that a Crusader has earned Player of the Week honors, as junior split end Mark Bartosic earned the Offensive Player of the Week award following the Widener game on October 12.

Susquehanna (4-3 overall, 4-2 MAC) will travel to King’s (5-2 overall, 5-1 MAC) on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. The Monarchs currently hold the tiebreaker with Widener for the conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.