By Laura Soukkavong –
CAA Football announced its Week 2 award winners for the 2026 season, with New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Bryant all represented after standout individual performances.
New Hampshire senior running back Joquez Smith was named the CAA Football Offensive Player of the Week after a dominant performance in the Wildcats’ 42-35 win over Stonehill. Smith rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on just 13 carries, averaging 9.4 yards per attempt.
Smith broke a 14-14 tie with a 26-yard touchdown run in the second quarter before adding a 34-yard scoring run in the third. His final touchdown came from three yards out with 11:06 remaining and ultimately proved to be the game-winning score. The three-touchdown performance marked the first time a New Hampshire player rushed for three scores in a game since 2022.
Rhode Island redshirt junior linebacker Moses Meus earned CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honors following the Rams’ 31-10 victory over Elon.
Meus finished with a team-high seven tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a half sack and an interception. He helped lead a Rhode Island defense that recorded four sacks and forced five turnovers, including four interceptions. It marked the first time the Rams had recorded four interceptions in a game since 2013.
Meus now has 16 tackles and two interceptions through the early part of the season.
New Hampshire also took home the CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week award, with sophomore kick returner and wide receiver Ryan Ricketti receiving the honor.
Ricketti averaged 45 yards on three kickoff returns in the Wildcats’ win over Stonehill. His biggest play came immediately, when he returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown.
The return was New Hampshire’s first kickoff return for a touchdown since 2023. Ricketti finished the game with 182 all-purpose yards, including 135 kickoff-return yards and 47 receiving yards on three catches.
Bryant redshirt freshman wide receiver Shamar Fowles was named CAA Football Rookie of the Week after helping the Bulldogs defeat Hampton 31-3.
Fowles caught four passes for a career-high 112 yards and a touchdown. His biggest play came in the second quarter, when he broke free down the sideline for a 60-yard touchdown reception.
The score was the first touchdown of Fowles’ career. His 112-yard performance also made him the first Bryant receiver to surpass 100 receiving yards in a game since the 2024 season.
The Week 2 honors gave New Hampshire two of the league’s four weekly awards, while Rhode Island and Bryant each placed one player among the CAA Football award winners.