NEW ORLEANS – The University of South Alabama's Kawaan Baker was honored Monday when the Sun Belt Conference office announced that the senior wide receiver has been selected the league's co-Offensive Player of the Week.

It's the first time in his career that Baker — who was also named the SBC Offensive Player of the Week by College Sports Madness — has been honored by the conference, as he joins fellow wideout Jalen Tolbert, who was recognized following the Jaguars' season-opening victory at Southern Mississippi, in picking up the award this fall.

In South's 38-14 win over ULM on Saturday, Baker caught six passes for a career-best 154 yards and three touchdowns to help lead the Jaguars past a Warhawk defense that entered play allowing just 167 yards per game passing.  It was the highest receiving yards total in the Sun Belt this weekend while he matched the most touchdown receptions in the league this year.

His 80-yard touchdown catch in the final minute of the opening quarter was the second-longest pass play in school history and the longest in the conference this season.  He added scores from 16 and five yards out in the second half to post multiple touchdowns in the same game for first time since South visited Louisiana on Nov. 17, 2018.  With the effort — his second 100-yard game of the year, and third of his career — Baker went over 100 catches and 1,500 receiving yards in his career while finishing the night tied for second on South's career record list with 14 touchdown receptions and moving into the top five on the program's all-time scoring list.

With 27 catches for 443 yards and six touchdowns this year, Baker ranks among the top five in the Sun Belt in both receptions and receiving yards per contest while also standing second with 124 all-purpose yards per game and sixth in scoring.

Baker and the Jags will next be in action Thursday at 6:30 p.m. (CDT) when South visits Georgia Southern in a game that will be broadcast nationally on ESPN.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics.  Contributions to South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give

—USA—