MILWAUKEE, Wis. (naccsports.org) --- Benedictine University junior Dino Stephens (Chicago, Ill.), St. Norbert College junior Jacob McVane (Green Bay, Wis.), and Wisconsin Lutheran College junior Jalen Perera (Milwaukee, Wis.) have been named Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) Football Student-Athletes of the Week for the week of Sept. 28-Oct. 4, 2026, as selected by the league's athletics communications professionals.

This is the second NACC weekly award this season for McVane and Perera.

Defense --- Jalen Perera, Jr., LB, Wisconsin Lutheran College
Perera delivered a standout defensive performance in the Warriors’ 70-0 win over Eureka on Oct. 3, recording a game-high eight tackles, including five solo stops and three assists. The junior linebacker also returned an interception 65 yards for a touchdown late in the third quarter after the Red Devils had driven deep into WLC territory, helping preserve the shutout. He added 1.5 tackles for loss, including a half sack, as Wisconsin Lutheran posted its first shutout in 14 years.

Offense --- Dino Stephens, Jr., RB, Benedictine University
Stephens, a junior running back, accounted for five touchdowns in Benedictine's 49-13 win at Lakeland that moved the Eagles to 4-0 overall. He ran for 200 yards and four touchdowns on 24 carries, averaging 8.3 yards per attempt with a long rush of 36 yards. Stephens also caught a pair of passes for 21 yards and a touchdown. He had seven carries of 10 yards or longer, eight that resulted in first downs, and just one rush for negative yards.

Special Teams --- Jacob McVane, Jr., RB, St. Norbert College
McVane, a junior running back, became the first player in program history to return a kickoff for a touchdown in consecutive games. He returned a kickoff 82 yards for a score in the first quarter of St. Norbert's 28-14 win at Rockford to give the Green Knights a 13-7 lead. McVane also added 159 yards on the ground with a touchdown.