NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Christopher Newport University sophomore wide receiver and kick returner Trey Hayes was honored Monday by the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Hayes, from Sterling, Va., was named the Special Teams Player of the Week.

Hayes opened Saturday's game at Rowan University in Glassboro, N.J., with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. It marked just the eighth time in CNU football history a kickoff has been returned for a score, and it was just the third time the Captains have ever opened a game with a kickoff return for a touchdown.

The 95-yard effort also matched the longest kickoff return in program history, set by Roland Hilliard in 2006 vs. North Carolina Wesleyan. Hayes joined Rob Rodriguez and Jordan Borders as the only Captains to ever open a game with a kickoff return touchdown. Rodriguez brought back the opening kick 90 yards vs. Shenandoah in 2005, and Borders returned the opening kick 93 yards at Catholic in 2021.

Paul Crowley's squad went on to post a 21-18 victory Saturday in the rain over the Profs to improve to 4-2 overall and 2-0 atop the NJAC standings. 

The Captains return home this Saturday to host Kean University at Kelchner Field at TowneBank Stadium. Kickoff time is set for 1:00 p.m. The game will be part of Homecoming Weekend activities at CNU. Kean is 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the NJAC heading into Saturday's contest.