WILLIAMSBURG, KY – After helping lead the University of the Cumberlands football team to a season-opening win in the Battle for the Brass Lantern, Tion Garmon has been named the Mid-South Conference Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Garmon made an immediate impact in the Patriots' 41-28 victory over Union Commonwealth, finishing with six solo tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception, an 89-yard interception return for a touchdown and a pass breakup. His six tackles tied for second on the team as UC opened the season 1-0.
 
The defensive back delivered his biggest play midway through the opening quarter. With Union facing third-and-six at the Cumberlands 22-yard line, Garmon stepped in front of a pass at the UC 11 before racing 89 yards down the sideline for a touchdown. The pick-six extended the Patriots' lead to 20-7 with 4:14 remaining in the first quarter and gave UC its third touchdown in less than nine minutes.
 
Garmon remained active throughout the contest, helping a Patriot defense force six punts and two interceptions. He added a tackle for loss late in the third quarter, dropping a receiver for a one-yard loss as UC kept Union out of the end zone despite the Bulldogs beginning the possession at the Cumberlands 22 following a turnover.
 
The Patriots defense shut out Union in the fourth quarter to secure the 41-28 victory and Cumberlands' seventh straight win in the Battle for the Brass Lantern. UC returns to action Saturday, September 5th when the Patriots travel to Bluefield, VA to face Bluefield University at 1:30 PM.

For the latest and most up-to-date information on University of the Cumberlands Athletics please visit www.cumberlandspatriots.com. Follow us on X - @UC_Patriots and @UCPatsGameday, Instagram- @UCPatriots, TikTok- @ucpatriots, YouTube- Cumberlands Patriots, and Facebook by searching University of the Cumberlands Athletics.