DAVIS, Calif. -- UC Davis linebacker Nick Eaton scored his third weekly award in two days, this time garnering STATS FCS National Freshman of the Week honors for the weekend of October 12, announced senior editor Craig Haley Monday morning.
The exploratory student from Rocklin, California, previously won College Sports Madness Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Sunday, then added Big Sky ROOT SPORTS Defensive Player of the Week earlier on Monday.
Eaton posted career highs of seven solo tackles and 4.0 tackles for losses of 14 yards in Saturdays' 48-24 conference win over Cal Poly, but the various awards largely stem from a single play. Early in the fourth quarter, with the Mustangs threatening in the Aggie red zone, Eaton intercepted a pitch from Cal Poly quarterback Jalen Hamler to running back Lepi Lataimua. He then ran the ball 78 yards toward the opposite end zone, halting what had been a run of 24 unanswered Mustang points. Eaton's score – the first of his career – extended the UC Davis lead to 41-24.
Eaton ranks fourth on the team with 37 total tackles, while pacing the defense in TFLs (8.5 for 45 yards), sacks (4.5 for 30 yards) and pass breakups (4). He ranks seventh in the Big Sky Conference in sacks, tied for fifth in TFLs and tied for second in forced fumbles (0.43 per game).
VMI's Alex Ramsey claimed STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Week, James Madison defensive lineman John Daka earned Defensive Player of the Week, while Morehead State kicker picked up the special teams honor. The winners are culled from FCS conference player of the week winners, plus other submissions from all subdivision members from around the country. Eaton is the first Aggie to receive the honor since Ulonzo Gilliam, Jr. captured the same in September of 2018.
UC Davis returns to action for continued Big Sky Conference action at Southern Utah on Saturday. Game time is 5:05 p.m. Pacific.
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MARYA WELCH INITIATIVE: Named after the former physical education instructor, coach and Dean of Women who founded women's sports on the campus 25 years before the passage of Title IX, the Marya Welch Initiative for Women's Athletics provides comprehensive support for UC Davis' 16 women's athletics programs. Through the support of the Marya Welch Initiative and its group members, student-athletes are provided the best possible opportunity to succeed inside the classroom, and in competition, through special project gifts and by increasing visibility and participation at women's events throughout the year. All gifts to the Marya Welch Initiative are matched 1:1, doubling the impact on our women's programs. Visit this site for more information.
DON'T MISS OUT: Season and single-game tickets for UC Davis football are now on sale by contacting the Athletics Ticket Office at (530) 752-AGS1 or by visiting us online at tickets.ucdavis.edu.
