This honor marks a third major accolade in the past few days for the Phoenix's Buck Buchanan Award candidate. Earlier this week, Nkang earned both Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Week and Southern Conference Defensive Player of the Month recognition.

The Southern Conference's leading tackler for the third consecutive season, the 6-1, 218-pound Nkang amassed a game-high and season-high 16 tackles – including six solo stops and a game-high 2.5 TFL for 18 yards – against Furman. At 12.11 tackles per contest, he paces the Southern Conference and ranks fourth in the NCAA-IAA entering this week's action.

Nkang and the rest of the Phoenix (4-5) visit Aggie Stadium in nearby Greensboro to face North Carolina A&T (0-9) at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The Aggies lead the all-time series with Elon by a 4-3 margin despite a 12-9 Phoenix victory last season at Rhodes Stadium.

Elon All-Time Football Gazette NCAA-IAA Players of the Week
Oct. 24, 2001 – Offensive Lineman – Scott McLain
Nov. 7, 2001 – Offensive Lineman – Scott McLain
Nov. 13, 2001 – Offensive Lineman – Josh Rowan
Sept. 10, 2002 – Offensive Lineman – Ross Gravely
Sept. 24, 2002 – Offensive Lineman – Brandon Mason
Nov. 5, 2002 – Special Teams – Anthony Turowski, K/P
Nov. 12, 2002 – Offensive Lineman – Ross Gravely
Nov. 19, 2002 – Offensive Lineman – Josh Rowan
Nov. 26, 2002 – Special Teams – Anthony Turowski, K/P
Sept. 22, 2003 – Offensive Lineman – Brandon Mason
Sept. 20, 2004 – Offensive Lineman – Bob Cooke
Oct. 18, 2004 – Offensive Lineman – Brandon Mason
Nov. 15, 2004 – Offensive Lineman – Brandon Mason
Sept. 19, 2005 – Offensive Lineman – Jamie Ownbey
Oct. 17, 2005 – Defensive – Chad Nkang, LB
Oct. 6, 2006 – Defensive – Corey Weaver, LB
Oct. 12, 2006 – Offensive – Wes Pope, QB
Oct. 12, 2006 – Offensive Lineman – Marty Redden
Oct. 18, 2006 – Special Teams – Brandon Lane, P
Nov. 10, 2006 – Defensive – Chad Nkang, LB