LANCASTER, Pa. – Make it three-for-three in Player of the Week accolades for Colorado State University Pueblo sophomore linebacker Carter Daniels (Centennial, Colo./Mountain Vista) as he as he was named the D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday morning.

The D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Week honor follows Monday's Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week accolade and Tuesday's NFF Colorado Chapter Player of the Week.

It marks the first time a Pack player has earned D2Football.com Player of the Week honors since Cody Ramming was named the Special Teams Player of the Week on Oct. 19, 2024. In addition, Daniels is the third Pack defensive player to earn D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Week accolades as he joins Trey Botts (Oct. 19, 2022) and James Maxie (Oct. 10, 2019).

Daniels earns this week's first D2Football.com Defensive Player of the Week honor after his standout performance in his first career start last Thursday in the Pack's 44-25 season opening win against Central Missouri. In the win over the Mules, Daniels recorded a game and career-high 16 tackles, including five solo stops, and added 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for a loss, and a fourth-quarter pick-six to lead the Pack to its season-opening victory.

The 16 tackles were tied for third most in Division II for the week and tied for the most by a Pack player in a season opener since Lee Meisner recorded 16 tackles in the 2010 season opener against Oklahoma Panhandle State. Daniels capped off the scoring for the Pack in the game as he returned an interception 38 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Pack a 44-18 lead with 6:10 left in the game. The interception return for a score was the 56th for the Pack since 2008, and the 20th interception return to a score since the beginning of the 2019 season.

In addition to Daniels, D2Football.com named Davenport running back Cephus Harris as its Offensive Player of the Week and Augustana kick/punt returner Neal May as its Special Teams Player of the Week.

Daniels and the sixth-ranked ThunderWolves (1-0 overall, 0-0 RMAC) return to action this coming Thursday, Sept. 3, as they travel to Hays, Kan., for a 6 p.m. MT non-conference game against Fort Hays State (1-0). Fort Hays State, which is ranked No. 23 in this week's D2Football.com poll, opened the 2026 season last Thursday with an impressive 35-14 win at Angelo State.