RICHARDSON EARNS 2ND NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONOR

Hutchinson CC Sports Information

For the second time this season, Hutchinson Community College freshman return specialist Tre Richardson was named the NJCAA Division I Football National Special Teams Player of the Week on Wednesday.

Richardson, a 5-foot-11, 190-pound freshman from Topeka, became the first Hutchinson player to return two punts for touchdowns in the same game since 2016 in the No. 1 Blue Dragons' 37-7 victory over Coffeyville on Saturday at Gowans Stadium.

Richardson returned a first-quarter punt 63 yards for a touchdown to give the Blue Dragons' a 17-0 lead. He helped close out the Dragon scoring with a 70-yard zig-zag down the right sideline for a 37-7 lead with 7:28 to play in the fourth quarter.

Richardson is the first Blue Dragon to have two punt-return touchdowns in a game since Adrian Cross on October 3, 2016 against the Kansas Wesleyan Junior Varsity.

Richardson accounted for 133 yards on two punt returns and had two kickoff returns for 54 yards and had 196 all-purpose yards against the Red Ravens.

Richardson currently leads the NJCAA in punt return average at 43.4 yards per return with two touchdowns. Richardson is second in the nation in kickoff returns at 36.3 yards per return.

The Blue Dragon freshman was also named National Special Teams Player of the Week on August 30 after producing 268 all-purpose yards, which included a 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in a 42-7 win over No. 11 Navarro on August. 26.

This is the third time this season a Blue Dragon player has won national weekly honors. In addition to the two awards Richardson has earned, running back Tyrell Reed Jr. was the NJCAA Offensive Player of the week for his Week 2 performance against Ellsworth.

BLUE DRAGON NJCAA NATIONAL PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
August 30 – Tre Richardson (Special Teams)
September 6 – Tyrell Reed Jr. (Offense)
September 27 – Tre Richardson (Special Teams)