Connor Niles is the GPAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his pivotal punt return touchdown in the Mustangs’ 35-30 win against NCAA Division II Truman State.

Connor Niles, a 5-11, 195 lb. junior wide receiver from Sioux City, is the Hauff Mid-America Sports/Great Plains Athletic Conference (GPAC) Special Teams Player of the Week for his performance in last Saturday’s 35-30 victory against NCAA Division II Truman State University.

Niles returned a punt 80 yards for a touchdown with 45 seconds left in the second quarter to give the Mustangs a 28-10 lead at the intermission. It was the Mustangs’ first punt return touchdown since Niles had a 67-yard return against Midland University during the 2015 season.

Niles has three punt returns for 157 yards for an average of 55.7 yards per return through the Mustangs’ first three games. He is the Mustangs’ leading pass receiver with 21 receptions for 443 yards and three touchdowns for an average of 21.1 yards per catch.

Niles is second in the nation with an average of 231.7 all-purpose yards per game, fourth with an average of 147.7 pass reception yards per game and eighth with an average of 7.0 pass receptions per game.

Morningside will take a 3-0 record into this Saturday’s GPAC opener with a 1 p.m. home game against 2-0 Dordt College.