Shakeem Taylor, Nat'l Player of the Week

Lions cornerback has four picks and a TD

SAGU defense ranked #8, yielding 13.5 ppg

WAXAHACHIE, Texas -- The National Christian College Athletic Association selected Shakeem Taylor, of Southwestern Assemblies of God University as the National Player of the Week in an announcement made today.

The redshirt freshman was chosen from a field of seven finalists, including: Josh Balzer, Sr., Northwestern College (MN); Barry Bighorn, Jr., Trinity Bible College (ND); Joel Kobosh, Jr., Maranatha Baptist Bible College (WI); Brandon Ruemier, Soph., Olivet Nazarene University (IL); Justin Smith, Jr., Trinity Bible College (ND); Tarell Starkey, Fr., Bluefield College (VA); and Taylor, also a freshman.

Taylor, at 5’10, 180 pounds, intercepted two passes, returning one for 100-yards and a third-quarter touchdown. SAGU trailed Howard Payne University 17-10 at the time.

Had the Yellow Jackets scored, the deficit could’ve been 24-10. Instead, he picked off the third-and-four pass in the left flat and took it to the house to knot the score at 17.

SAGU took the lead for good on a three-yard run by Cade Leuschner (Waco, Tx / Robinson HS), and then James Gish (Waxahachie, Tx / Waxahachie HS) banged a 41-yard field goal to ice the game in the closing minutes.

Taylor’s ‘pick six’ swung momentum completely in favor of the Lions. SAGU, now 1-1, scored the game’s final 24 points. They trailed in the second period, 17-3.

With just two college games under his belt, Taylor has four interceptions. He leads the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) in the category.

All four of Taylor’s picks have come inside the SAGU 20 yard line, two of them in the end zone.

He is tops in the country with interceptions, helping the Lions defense limit opponents to 13.5 points per game. That figure ranks #8 in the NAIA.

Taylor is from Mesquite, Texas, an east-Dallas suburb. He played at Poteet High School.

Contact: Mark “Link” Warde, SAGU Sports Information Director, at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at 469-658-2847.