RICHMOND, VA – Monmouth University football student-athletes Jaden Shirden and TJ Speight were named CAA Players of the Week, the league office announced Monday morning.

Shirden earned CAA Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Speight was selected as the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week following their standout performances in Monmouth's 61-10 victory over Hampton on Saturday. The result propelled Monmouth to its second straight victory and moved the team to 2-1 in CAA play.
 
Shirden ran 276 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on 16 carries for an average of 17.3 yards per carry. His 276 yards are the most by an FCS player this season and the second-most in school history behind his record 299 set against Fordham last season. Shirden had touchdown runs of 72, 63, 25 and nine yards in the game, in addition to a 52-yard run. Shirden leads the CAA and ranks third in the FCS in rushing with 135.3 yards per game in 2023. Shirden now has 12-career touchdown runs of at least 50 yards and is the third back in team history to eclipse the 3,000-yard mark in his career.

Speight returned two kickoffs for 167 yards and a touchdown in the victory. The junior opened the second half with a 98-yard return for a touchdown, the longest in school history and first since 2019. Speight also started Monmouth's first offensive possession with a 69-yard return that set up the Hawks in the red zone where Sone Ntoh scored two plays later. Speight has 229 yards on five kickoff returns this season.

In addition, Shirden was recognized as the NCAA's FCS Player of the Week and was an Honorable Mention choice for FCS National Performer of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards. Speight was also named as an Honorable Mention pick for FedEx Ground FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week.

Monmouth is back in action on Saturday afternoon when it travels to Elon for a 2 p.m. kickoff on FloSports.