PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania football team gutted out a 24-21 road victory over Stonehill on Saturday afternoon while two individuals put forth standout efforts.
 
Senior Julien Stokes earned Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week while freshman kicker Mason Walters took home Ivy League Rookie of the Week honors to kick off the 2025 campaign, the conference office announced Monday afternoon.
 
It's the first time since Oct. 23, 2023 that two Penn players earned weekly honors in the same week (Jared Richardson, offense; Malachi Hosley, rookie) and just the second instance of Special Teams/Rookie in the same week since Kyle Olson (S) and Matt Hamscher (R) on Oct. 20, 2008.
 
Stokes ripped off a 63-yard punt return for a touchdown to give the Quakers a 14-0 lead over the Skyhawks late in the first quarter. He also returned two kickoffs for 60 yards and finished with 131 total return yards for the contest. It was Penn's first punt return TD since Isaiah Malcome vs. Delaware in 2019 and the first return touchdown of any kind since Stokes' 97-yard kickoff return at Brown in 2022. Stokes currently leads FCS football in punt return yards per attempt at 23.7. 
 
Walters certainly had his first big moment wearing the Red and Blue on Saturday, knocking down a game-winning field goal—on his first attempt as a collegian—from 45 yards out with nine seconds remaining to lift the Quakers to their first victory of the season. It was Penn's first game-winning field goal since Daniel Karrash—also on his first career attempt—hit a 22-yarder with two seconds remaining to stun Brown at Franklin Field in 2019.
 
Wide receiver Jared Richardson and defensive lineman Carter Janki were tabbed to the Ivy League's weekly honor roll for their performances.
 
The Quakers remain on the road to face No. 9/10 Lehigh in Bethlehem on Saturday at noon at Goodman Stadium. The defending Patriot League champion Mountain Hawks are 4-0 entering the matchup following a 41-24 victory at Bucknell on Saturday night.
 
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