DALLAS – Following standout performances over the weekend, MTSU utility player Layne Akers and Sam Houston right-hander Ryan Peterson earned CUSA weekly honors.
 
CUSA Hitter of the Week – Layne Akers, MTSU – R-Fr. – UTL – Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Akers claims CUSA Hitter of the Week recognition after slugging his way to an 11-RBI week in a 4-0 stretch for MTSU (16-12, 5-4 CUSA), including a sweep of conference foe NM State. The redshirt freshman hit .471 (8-17) over the four games as he compiled three-hit days on Saturday and Sunday. His lone home run on the week came in grand fashion, belting his first career grand slam in the series finale 9-6 win to complete the sweep. Ayers recorded multiple RBI in each of the four victories.
 
CUSA Pitcher of the Week – Ryan Peterson, Sam Houston – Jr. – RHP – Shiner, Texas
Peterson earns CUSA Pitcher of the Week after hurling a gem in a 1-0 Sam Houston (14-13, 4-5 CUSA) win over WKU on Friday night. The Bearkat ace tossed a complete-game, one-hit shutout while striking out six Hilltoppers on 111 pitches. The junior right-hander registered the first complete-game shutout by a Sam Houston pitcher since Heath Donica pulled it off versus Nevada in 2017. The outing lowered Peterson’s ERA to 1.43 and upped his strikeout count to 57 in 44 innings of work.
 
2026 CUSA Hitters of the Week
F16     Ryan Franden, Sam Houston
F23     Trey Hawsey, LA Tech
M2      Caleb Johnson, Jax State
M9      Grayson Ashe, Jax State
M16    Jake Bennett, DBU
M23    Brant Kragel, Missouri State
M30    Layne Akers, MTSU
 
2026 CUSA Pitchers of the Week
F16     Ben Blair, Liberty
F23     Steven Cash, Jax State
M2      Ben Blair, Liberty
M9      Beau Bryans, Jax State
M16    Declan Dahl, LA Tech
M23    Ben Blair, Liberty
M30    Ryan Peterson, Sam Houston