VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State freshman place kicker Matt Rolader was named Gulf South Conference Freshman of the Week for the second time this season, the league office announced Monday.  This is Rolader's third weekly honor of the season as he also earned GSC Special Teams Player of the Week accolades on Oct. 6.
 
Rolader, a native of Auburn, Ala., scored nine points in the Blazers' 45-35 upset win over No. 21 West Alabama on Saturday.  Rolader went 6 of 6 in extra-points and kicked a career-long 47-yard field goal midway through the second quarter breaking a 7-7 tie as VSU would never tie or trail the rest of the game.  Rolader's previous best field goal was 41-yards against Lenoir-Rhyne.
 
For the season, Rolader is 5 of 7 in field goals and 27 of 28 in extra-points as is tied for the team-lead in scoring with 42 points with senior running back Eric Watts.  Rolader is the only Blazer to earn GSC weekly honors three times this season.  
 
Rolader and the Blazers host No. 21/24 Delta State Saturday at 4 p.m. at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium for Senior Day.  The Blazers sit at 4-4 overall and 1-0 in Gulf South Conference play, while Delta State is 7-2 overall and 1-1 in league play.  A win on Saturday by VSU over Delta State, would setup a winner-take-all matchup for the 2025 GSC Title at West Florida on Nov. 16 in Pensacola, Fla., and an automatic berth into the NCAA postseason championship.  VSU has a league-record 11 Gulf South Conference titles in program history.  
 
This week, Rolader joins Delta State wide receiver Curtis Rearden, along with West Florida defensive back Tony Newsome and Delta State return specialist Neno Lemay as weekly award winners.

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