JMac

Football MSU Athletics Communications

Morgan State’s Justin McIlwain Honored as Week 5 Top DB

BALTIMORE, Md. (October 6, 2026) - Junior safety Justin McIlwain delivered a game-changing performance for Morgan State, earning the Aeneas Williams Award HBCU DB of the Week honor for Week 5.

McIlwain recorded a game- and season-high nine tackles, including six solo stops, while adding a crucial interception early in the second quarter that helped swing momentum in favor of the Bears. The takeaway set up a 39-yard field goal by Alex Amaya, extending Morgan State's lead to 17-7.

Through five games, the Upper Marlboro, Md. product has emerged as a key playmaker in the Bears' secondary, ranking tied for third on the team with 20 tackles (13 solo).

The honor comes as Morgan State continues to build momentum, with the Bears having won three straight games. Morgan State returns home Saturday, Oct. 10, for Homecoming, hosting the Robert Morris Colonials at Hughes Stadium.

Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with additional radio coverage provided by WEAA 88.9 FM.

 
The Aeneas Williams Award is presented by the Chickasaw Nation and awarded to the best defensive back in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Division I college football based on performance on the field, athletic ability, and character. Established in 2022, this award serves as the first of its kind in HBCU history in honor of its namesake, Southern University walk-on and Pro Football Hall of Famer, Aeneas Williams. The contribution of HBCUs to the landscape of college football and the NFL has forever left an impact on the game. HBCUs hold an incredibly rich athletic tradition, tied to the game of football, that continues to exemplify the culture of these schools for over the past century. Aeneas Williams Award Players of the Week are proudly selected in partnership with DraftHBCUPlayers.

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• Visit www.morganstatebears.com, the official website of Bear athletics, for news, schedules, stats, bios, and more. 
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ABOUT MORGAN
Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master's degree, doctorate, and certificate programs. As Maryland's Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu.
 
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Players Mentioned

Alex Amaya

#48 Alex Amaya

K/P
5' 10"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Alex Amaya

#48 Alex Amaya

5' 10"
Sophomore
K/P