MINNEAPOLIS - Gallaudet University senior cornerback Tony Tatum (Gardendale, Ala.) was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after a stellar effort in the Bison secondary in the team's 21-0 victory over SUNY Maritime. The award marks the second time this season that Tatum has received D3football.com Team of the Week honors and the third time in team history that a Gallaudet player has received the distinction. The standout cornerback has also been recognized this week by the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) as Defensive Player of the Week.

Tatum knocked down two passes and intercepted another that he returned 80 yards for a touchdown in the season-ending shutout win over conference foe Maritime last weekend. The interception came at a crucial moment in the game as the Bison were clinging to a 7-0 lead late in the first half over the Privateers as the GU defense faced a key third down deep in their own zone. Tatum stepped in front of a pass at the Bison 20-yard line and raced 80 yards the other way for the score to eliminate the threat and extend the Bison's lead to 14-0. The interception was Tatum's career-high sixth of the season, a total that also led the ECFC.

Previously, Tatum was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week following his performance in the Bison's 47-27 victory over cross-town rival Catholic University of America on Sep. 7. The standout cornerback had two interceptions in that game and caught a touchdown pass when he lined up at wide receiver and outjumped his coverage in a rare appearance on offense.

For the season, Tatum has earned three ECFC Player of the Week awards, has made two appearances on the D3football.com Team of the Week and has been recognized twice as Beyond Sports College Network's (BSCN) Athlete of the Week.

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Also see:

D3football.com Team of the Week - Week 11

Release courtesy of Gallaudet Athletics