DALLAS – WKU’s Caden Veltkamp, NM State’s Kale Edwards and MTSU’s Omari Kelly earned CUSA Player of the Week honors for week eight. The weekly awards are voted on by a panel of the league’s media.
 
Offensive Player of the Week – Caden Veltkamp, WKU – RS So. – QB – Bowling Green, Ky.
Veltkamp had an efficient performance in WKU's 31-14 road win over Sam Houston on Wednesday. He threw for 281 yards and three touchdowns on 20-29 passing, and didn't throw an interception in the victory. He spread the ball around the offense, with five players catching three passes and two catching a pair of passes. Veltkamp also added 27 yards on the ground, with a 19-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to help pull away for the win. It was Veltkamp's third game this season throwing for at least three touchdowns and his fourth game this season with at least one passing and one rushing touchdown.
 
Defensive Player of the Week – Kale Edwards, NM State – Sr. – DE – Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
Edwards had a breakout performance in the Aggies' overtime win over LA Tech on Tuesday night - recording a season-high seven total tackles, including four sacks. The four sacks marked the most in a single game from any CUSA defender this season and the first time an Aggie had at least 3.5 sacks since 2017. He was responsible for four of the Aggies' five team sacks, which was the most for the program since 2018. Prior to Tuesday night, Edwards had yet to record a sack this season and had just one tackle for loss. He tallied a sack on each of the Bulldogs’ first two drives, including one on fourth down to force a turnover on downs.
 
Special Teams Player of the Week – Omari Kelly, MTSU – Jr. – WR – Trussville, Ala.
The first skill position player to earn the honor this season, Kelly tallied 151 all-purpose yards, including 77 receiving yards on six receptions and 74 punt return yards. A large chunk of his punt return output came on a 61-yard return for a touchdown, which helped seal the game in the third quarter of MTSU’s 14-5 win over Kennesaw State. It was the first punt return for a touchdown by a Blue Raider since Jaylin Lane on Sept. 4, 2021, against Monmouth. Kelly had attempted just two punt returns prior to Tuesday’s contest and finished the night with four returns for 74 yards and the score.
 
2024 Winners
Offensive Players of the Week
S2        Hunter Watson, Sam Houston
S9        Keyone Jenkins, FIU
S16       Caden Veltkamp, WKU
S23      Reese Smith, Liberty
S30      Hunter Watson, Sam Houston
O7       Tyler Huff, Jax State
O14      Evan Bullock, LA Tech
O21      Caden Veltkamp, WKU
 
Defensive Players of the Week
S2        Tayden Barnes, NM State
S9        CJ Bazile Jr., Liberty
S16       Caleb Weaver, Sam Houston
S23      Devonte’ Mathews, WKU
S30      Travion Barnes, FIU
O7       Zechariah Poyser, Jax State
O14      Travion Barnes, FIU
O21      Kale Edwards, NM State
 
Special Teams Players of the Week
S2        Christian Pavon, Sam Houston
S9        Colin Karhu, Liberty
S16       Buck Buchanan, LA Tech
S23      Cole Maynard, WKU
S30      Christian Pavon, Sam Houston
O7       Jadon Cardell, Sam Houston
O14      Lucas Carneiro, WKU
O21      Omari Kelly, MTSU