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Tracy Named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week
9/7/2026 2:00:00 PM | Football
Tracy is the first Gopher ever to return two punts for a touchdown in the same game
University of Minnesota wide receiver Javon Tracy was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week after his standout performance in Minnesota's 59-7 win against Eastern Illinois.
Tracy, who had zero career punt returns entering the Eastern Illinois game, became the first Gopher ever to score two punt return touchdowns in Minnesota's win.
Tracy became the fourth player in Big Ten history to have two punt return touchdowns in a game - and the first to accomplish the feat in his first career game returning punts. The others were Earl Girard of Wisconsin vs. Iowa in 1947, Garcia Lane of Ohio State vs. Purdue in 1983, and Kevonte Martin-Manley of Iowa vs. Western Michigan in 2013.
Tracy also set a school record with 167 yards on four returns. He brought back his first return 87 yards for a touchdown and added a 69-yard return score in the third quarter.
Tracy's first score was Minnesota's first punt return for a touchdown since Demetrius Douglas at Wisconsin in 2018.
The 87-yard return was the second longest in program history behind a 91-yarder for Fred Houde against Iowa in 1928.
Tracy's punt return score was just the second ever in the history of Huntington Bank Stadium. The other belongs to Antoine Winfield Jr. (76 yards) versus New Mexico State in 2018.
The 87 punt return yards in the first quarter for Tracy were the most by a Gopher in any quarter since at least 2016, while the 98 yards in the first half were the most by a Gopher in any half in that same time span.
Tracy's average of 41.8 yards per return ranks second best in school annals (dating to 1977).
Tracy is Minnesota's first Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week since 2024 when kicker Dragan Kesich was honored on November 4. Both Winfield and Douglas received the weekly honor in 2018, which is the last time a non-kicker or punter was honored for Minnesota.
Tracy, who had zero career punt returns entering the Eastern Illinois game, became the first Gopher ever to score two punt return touchdowns in Minnesota's win.
Tracy became the fourth player in Big Ten history to have two punt return touchdowns in a game - and the first to accomplish the feat in his first career game returning punts. The others were Earl Girard of Wisconsin vs. Iowa in 1947, Garcia Lane of Ohio State vs. Purdue in 1983, and Kevonte Martin-Manley of Iowa vs. Western Michigan in 2013.
Tracy also set a school record with 167 yards on four returns. He brought back his first return 87 yards for a touchdown and added a 69-yard return score in the third quarter.
Tracy's first score was Minnesota's first punt return for a touchdown since Demetrius Douglas at Wisconsin in 2018.
The 87-yard return was the second longest in program history behind a 91-yarder for Fred Houde against Iowa in 1928.
Tracy's punt return score was just the second ever in the history of Huntington Bank Stadium. The other belongs to Antoine Winfield Jr. (76 yards) versus New Mexico State in 2018.
The 87 punt return yards in the first quarter for Tracy were the most by a Gopher in any quarter since at least 2016, while the 98 yards in the first half were the most by a Gopher in any half in that same time span.
Tracy's average of 41.8 yards per return ranks second best in school annals (dating to 1977).
Tracy is Minnesota's first Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week since 2024 when kicker Dragan Kesich was honored on November 4. Both Winfield and Douglas received the weekly honor in 2018, which is the last time a non-kicker or punter was honored for Minnesota.
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