Nov. 25, 2002

NEW ORLEANS - Tulane running back Mewelde Moore and kicker/punter Seth Marler were named the Conference USA Offensive and Special Teams Players of the Week, respectively, Monday following their standout performances in the Green Wave's 31-10 win over Southern Miss in the 2002 regular season finale.

Moore, who earned the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week award for the first time this year and the third time in his career, gained 136 yards on 32 carries versus the vaunted Golden Eagle defense. He scored on a five-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and registered his longest run of the season, a 25-yarder, early in the game. He also caught five passes for 58 yards. Moore passed the 1,000-yard mark in rushing yards for the second straight season, becoming only the second player in school history to post back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He also moved into second place on the Conference USA career list for all-purpose yards with 194 all-purpose yards in the contest. The junior from Baton Rouge finished the regular season with 1,022 yards on 258 carries and five touchdowns, and led Tulane in receiving with 46 catches for 465 yards and three scores.

Marler kicked three field goals - of 37, 51 and 38 yards - to push Tulane to 10-0, 13-7 and 24-10 leads over Southern Miss. His 51-yard effort in the second quarter was his longest three of the season and the sixth 50-plus-yard field goal of his career. His 18 field goals made this year are the second-most in school history. Marler also booted all seven of his kickoffs to the end zone with just three returned to enable Tulane to win the field position battle. The senior from Lilburn, Ga. previously earned C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week honors after kicking three field goals against Cincinnati earlier this year.

Four Tulane players have earned C-USA's weekly awards five times in 2002. East Carolina's Travis Heath won the league's Defensive Player of the Week award after the Pirates' upset of league leader TCU last week.

-- Roll Wave --