NASHVILLE - The Ohio Valley / Big South Football Association announced the winners of the Player of the Week awards on Monday morning with Charleston Southern's Steve Zayachkowsky earning the Defensive Player of the Week award. This marks the second time he has won the award in his career after earning it following the Bucs' season opener in 2024.

Zayachkowsky collected 19 tackles in the contest to set a career-high at William & Mary this past weekend. His total ranks as tied for the sixth-most in a single game in school history as well as tied for the most in a single game in conference history. In the first half, he posted 12 tackles with six coming in each of the opening quarters. In the third, he recorded a QB hurry that led to an incompletion for the Tribe.

This season, he has collected 30 tackles so far for an average of 7.5 per game which ranks inside the top ten in the conference and within the top 100 nationally.

Charleston Southern returns to action this weekend for their nonconference finale as they will be hosting South Carolina State. The kickoff is slated for 6 p.m. with the action to be available live on ESPN+.