MANHATTAN, Kan. (K-State Sports) – Following a career-high 14 tackles and his fourth-career interception last weekend at West Virginia, Kansas State linebacker Elijah Lee has been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday morning.
Lee, who picked up his first-career player of the week accolade, gave K-State its third-consecutive weekly conference honor as Dominique Heath (Florida Atlantic) and Byron Pringle (Missouri State) picked up the special teams honors the previous two weeks.
A product of Blue Springs, Missouri, Lee bettered his previous career high of 12 tackles achieved last year against Louisiana Tech and in the 2016 season opener at eighth-ranked Stanford. He tallied eight of his 14 tackles in the first half as the Wildcats shut out the Mountaineers over the first 30 minutes, K-State’s first shutout in a half of a Big 12 road game in two years.
Lee also recorded his fourth-career interception in the first quarter, which led to a Wildcat touchdown. He became the first Wildcat linebacker since Bryan Hickman (2000-03) with four career interceptions, while he is one of four K-State linebackers under head coach Bill Snyder with at least four picks.
The Wildcats host their first Big 12 home game this Saturday as they take on Texas Tech at 6 p.m., in Bill Snyder Family Stadium, a game that will be televised by ESPNU.
