UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – Saginaw Valley State linebacker James McDonald has earned his first GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week after helping lead the Cardinals to a victory over Grand Valley State on Saturday.

McDonald led the Cardinal defense with eight tackles and forced a second-quarter fumble. SVSU recorded five total takeaways in the 27-20 win on Saturday; it is the first time since 1985 that SVSU has beaten GVSU in back-to-back seasons. The victory pulled Saginaw Valley State to a 4-4 overall record and a 2-2 mark in GLIAC play.

The Cardinals will host Michigan Tech this Saturday for the final home game of the 2026 season at 2 p.m. ET.