Two WPIAL alums with the West Virginia football team were named Big East Conference players of the week after the weekend's opening games.

Outside linebacker Mortty Ivy of Gateway High, the league defensive player of the week, accounted for two of the Mountaineers' three takeaways in their 48-21 victory over Division I-AA Villanova on Saturday. He recovered a fumble to set up No. 8 West Virginia's opening touchdown and later returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown. He added five tackles and one sack.

Plum kicker-punter Pat McAfee was named special-teams player of the week -- the third time in the past four weekly awardings by league officials going back to late last season, and the seventh time in the senior's career. Against Villanova, he booted a career-high 52-yard field goal, eclipsing by one his previous mark set at Heinz Field in 2006, and scored 12 points to move into fifth among all-time Big East kickers with 309 points. He additionally averaged 42.5 yards on two punts.

Meanwhile, quarterback Patrick White, despite a lifetime-best and Mountaineer Field-record five touchdown passes, was unable to merit anything more than honorable mention. Cincinnati quarterback Dustin Grutz, with three touchdown passes and 296 yards in the air, earned offensive player of the week.