October 27th, 2026 7:00am
D2Football.com is pleased to announce the players of the week for week eight of the 2026 season. This week’s honorees are Southern Nazarene quarterback Maddox Olantunde, Assumption linebacker Dante Vernieri and West Alabama kick returner Kendrick Joseph.
Offense
Maddox Olatunde, QB, Southern Nazarene
Maddox Olatunde led a record-setting performance for Southern Nazarene as the Crimson Storm put up 60 points in a win over Northwestern Oklahoma. It is the most sports scored by a Southern Nazarene team since they became a Division II program. Olatunde rushed for 295 yards on just 18 carries, averaging 16.4 yards per carry. He scored two rushing touchdowns and also passed for a touchdown. His rushing performance is the second highest single game total in school history. Maddox Olatunde is a sophomore from Arlington, Texas.
Defense
Dante Vernieri, LB, Assumption
Assumption's defense produced six turnovers in last week’s win over St. Anselm and Dante Vernieri was directly responsible for half of them. The senior from Barnegat, NJ intercepted three passes - the most by a Division II player in a single game this season and tied for most by any college player. His three interceptions also netted returns of 23, 17 and 27 yards and all three led to Assumption touchdowns. Vernieri also added three tackles to a defensive effort that limited St. Anselm to just seven points.
Special Teams
Kendrick Joseph, KR, West Alabama
On a day when West Alabama’s offense could produce only 10 first downs and 237 total yards, kick returner Kendrick Joseph provided the plays needed to keep the Tigers in contention. Late in the first quarter, with Delta State leading 3-0, Joseph took a kickoff back 97 yards for a touchdown. At the open of the second half, he repeated the trick going 97 yards again to give the Tigers a 20-17 lead. Although West Alabama would eventually fall 37-33, Joseph accumulated the most return yards in a game this season by a Division II player. He totalled 327 yards from six returns and became just the second West Alabama player and third ever GSC player to have two kickoff return touchdowns in the same game. Kendrick Joseph is a redshirt freshman from Shrewsbury, Louisiana.
Week Seven
Offense: Hunter Patterson, RB, West Liberty
Defense: Jake Tucker, LB, Emporia State
Special Teams: JT Miller, K, Western Colorado
Week Six
Offense: Christian Kretz, WR, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Defense: Quinton Robinson, DB, Ohio Dominican
Special Teams: Gabriel Ogura, K, East Central
Week Five
Offense: Tavion Faulk, QB, Edward Waters
Defense: McKyle So’oto, LB, UT Permian Basin
Special Teams: Truman Carnin, K, McKendree
Week Four
Offense: Connor Carver, QB, Bemidji State
Defense: Dominic Maultsby, Jr, LB, West Liberty
Special Teams: Jevon Young, DB, Western Colorado
Week Three
Offense: Gunnar Hensley, QB, Augustana
Defense: J.C. Heim, LB, Washburn
Special Teams: Chase Koch, LB, Michigan Tech
Week Two
Izaiah Jean-Baptiste, WR, Edward Waters
Alex Sauve, LB, Shippensburg
Malik Brown, WR / KR, UNC Pembroke
Week One
Offense: Hank Kraft, RB, Northern State
Defense: Legend Doggett, DB, West Alabama
Special Teams: Tristan Hite, P, Chadron State
Week Zero
Offense: Cephus Harris, RB, Davenport
Defense: Carter Daniels, LB, CSU Pueblo
Special teams: Neal May, KR / PR, Augustana