WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – After helping the William & Mary football team earn an exciting 35-32 victory at No. 8/7 Villanova in its season opener and Patriot League debut, junior kicker Max Lipinski was honored as the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week.
 
Safety Cade Ellis also garnered national recognition and earned FCS Freshman Player of the Week honorable mention distinction.
 
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En route to garnering the player of the week accolade, Lipinski totaled a school-record five made field goals – highlighted by a game-winning, career-long 45-yard kick as time expired. In addition to connecting on all five of his field goal attempts (22, 39, 41, 40, 45), he also set a single-game school record for points by a kicker (17). 
 
His five made field goals also marked the highest single-game total by an FCS player dating back to 2021.
 
In addition to connecting on the game-winner, the King George, Va., native also made a 40-yard field goal with just 0:53 remaining as the Tribe scored 13 points in the final minute to rally back from a 10-point deficit.
 
Ellis, who made his collegiate debut at Villanova, recorded a pair of interceptions in the Tribe's victory. His second pick came in the final minute of the contest when he intercepted a third-down pass by Villanova quarterback Pat McQuaide and returned it 24 yards to the Wildcats' 28-yard line with just 5 seconds remaining, setting up Lipinski's game-winner.
 
W&M will return to action when it hosts Delaware State at Zable Stadium for its home opener this Saturday at 6 p.m. In addition to being the Go Green Game, W&M will honor legendary former Tribe head coach Lou Holtz. A member of the College Football Hall of Fame, Holtz's first head coaching job was at W&M from 1969-71 and helped launch an incredible career that included stints at NC State, Arkansas, Minnesota, Notre Dame and South Carolina – as well as a season in the NFL with the New York Jets. Prior to becoming the Tribe's head coach, he served a three-year stint as an assistant with the program from 1961-63.