DALLAS (FWAA) – Virginia Tech senior free safety Willie Pile (Alexandria, Va.) is this week's recipient of the Bronko Nagurski National Defensive Player of the Week Award for his performance in the Hokies' 13-3 win over Texas A&M this past Saturday in College Station.

Willie Pile

Pile had 10 tackles, including five solo. He was also part of two turnovers, recording an interception and a fumble recovery. He had 48 return yards, bringing back the pickoff 17 yards and the fumble 31 yards. The interception, the 11th of his career, set up the go-ahead field goal for Tech as the Hokies became the first non-conference opponent to win at College Station vs. A&M head coach R.C. Slocum.

A three-person panel from the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) selects the winner of the weekly award.

The FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club pick a National Defensive Player of the Week each Monday. Pile will be added to the Watch List for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy which will be presented on Dec. 9 in Charlotte, N.C., by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club.