Oregon State junior safety Lance Mitchell has been selected the 2010 inaugural Pac-10 Conference Defensive Player of the Week, league commissioner Larry Scott announced Monday.

The junior from Pasadena, Calif., made a career-high 18 tackles in last Saturday’s game vs. No. 6 TCU at Cowboys Stadium.  Mitchell also intercepted Horned Frogs’ quarterback Andy Dalton early in the first quarter, returning 21 yards to set up the Beavers first score of the season – a 30-yard pass from Ryan Katz to James Rodgers.

Mitchell’s 18 tackles is tied for the eighth-most in school history and is the highest total by a Beaver since linebacker Trent Bray had 19 in a 2004 game against Boise State.

The Beavers have the week off before returning to action in their home opener Sept. 18 against Louisville at Reser Stadium at 2:30 p.m. in a game being televised live by FSN Northwest. 

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