BURNSVILLE, Minn. – Southwest Minnesota State University junior running back Tyler Tonderum has been named the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Offensive Player of the Week following his record-breaking performance last Saturday in a victory at MSU Moorhead.

Tonderum, a 5-foot-10, 191-pound junior from Armstrong, Iowa, rushed for a school record 343 yards on 42 carries with three touchdowns and also caught one pass for 14 yards to lead SMSU to a come-from-behind 27-20 victory at MSU Moorhead. The game was played in a constant rainstorm making the passing game nearly non-existent for both teams. Tonderum, making his second career start, scored on runs of 71, 10 and 13 yards. His final touchdown midway through the fourth quarter made the score 20-18 and moments later SMSU tied the score on a two-point conversion.

On the game-winning drive in the final one minute and 11 seconds of the fourth quarter, Tonderum rushed four times for 49 yards to help set-up the eventual game-winning touchdown pass with three seconds remaining.

Tonderum's rushing total from Saturday ranks as the highest single-game total in all of NCAA football this season for any of the four levels, including FBS, FCS, Division II or Division III. He currently ranks first in NCAA II in rushing with 213.0 yards per game, eighth in scoring (15.0) and 100th in total offense (213.0).

Tonderum is the first SMSU player to earn the weekly award since Gannon Moore on Oct. 20, 2010.

Tonderum is a 2010 graduate of Armstrong-Ringsted High School.

Southwest Minnesota State returns home this Friday night taking on Minot State University (1-1 NSIC) with kickoff set for 6 p.m. at Mattke Field at the Schwan Regional Event Center.