Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Abdulqaadir Named Gateway Conference Player of the Week
10/19/2003 | 12:00:00 | Football
Oct. 19, 2003
Southern Illinois University running back Muhammad Abdulqaadir was named the Gateway Conference "Player of the Week," the league announced Sunday.
Abulqaadir helped SIU to an upset of No. 2 Western Illinois as the No. 7 Salukis improved to 7-0 for the first time since 1983.
Abdulqaadir rushed for 200 yards and two touchdowns against Western Illinois, a team that had allowed fewer than 100 yards per game on the ground in its first six games. He averaged nearly seven yards per carry.
The win marked SIU's first at Western Illinois since 1983 and gave the Salukis back-to-back wins in the series for the first time since 1982-83.
The win against second-ranked Western also matched SIU's "best" win, as SIU had previously beaten a No. 2-ranked Youngstown State in 2000.
Abdulqaadir has won the conference's "Player of the Week" award five times in a career that spans 14 games at SIU.
