September 23, 2025
Ferris State football standout Justin Payoute, soccer leader Katherine Welch earn GLIAC Player of the Week honors
Ferris State University football player Justin Payoute and soccer player Katherine Welch earned Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors after outstanding performances in recent competitions.
Payoute, a senior defensive back from Miami Gardens, Florida, helped lead the top-ranked Bulldogs to a decisive 76-0 win over the University of Rio Grande, scoring an early touchdown on a 17-yard scoop and score in the victory.
The Criminal Justice major led the Bulldog defense, which limited the Red Storm to only 106 yards of total offense and only eight total rushing yards in the shutout win. The defensive unit held Rio Grande to a 1-of-12 showing, 8 percent, on third down.
The Bulldogs won their 18th consecutive game dating back to last year.
Payoute's touchdown this past week represented the third of his collegiate career and it marks the third different year in which he's scored at least once as a defensive back for the Bulldogs.
The football team is in the midst of a bye week and will open GLIAC play on the road Saturday, Oct. 4, at Roosevelt in Arlington Heights, Illinois.
Welch, a junior forward from Ada, was chosen as the GLIAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week.
Welch helped lead the Bulldogs to back-to-back wins to start conference play, finishing the weekend by playing a part in both Ferris State goals in a pair of 1-0 victories.
The Sports Communications major scored the eventual game-winner only 12 minutes into the contest on Sunday as the Bulldogs beat previously unbeaten Purdue Northwest in Big Rapids. She also had the assist on the only goal in Ferris State’s league-opening triumph over Davenport on Friday.
For the weekend, she also paced Ferris State with four total shots and played nearly the entire 180 minutes of action as the Bulldogs started conference play with a 2-0 mark.
This week, Welch and the Bulldogs will look to stay unbeaten in GLIAC play with a road matchup on Sunday, Sept. 28) at Roosevelt.