Sharpe, Castille, Gundy, & Wiskur Earn PFL’s Week 5 Individual Awards

10/4/2026 4:57:26 PM

By: Cody Bush, PFL Media Relations Director

ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Presbyterian College quarterback Landon Sharpe, University of San Diego cornerback CJ Castille, Valparaiso University return specialist Chris Gundy, and Drake University defensive back Dax Wiskur are the Pioneer Football League’s Players of the Week, awarded Sunday following Week 5 action.

Sharpe claims the league’s offensive award after passing for five touchdowns and running for another, leading the Blue Hose to a 55-21 upset win against St. Thomas. Castille’s two-interception day, including a pick-six, in the Toreros' 63-14 victory over Stetson earns him the PFL’s defensive award. Gundy is the special teams honoree after his Division I best 95-yard punt return for a touchdown to open the scoring in the Beacons’ 37-3 win at Morehead State. Wiskur is the league’s Freshman of the Week after recording a team-best 11 tackles and intercepting a pass in a 30-22 victory against Dayton.

Offensive

Landon Sharpe, Presbyterian (Sophomore, Quarterback, Lexington, South Carolina)

Sharpe was responsible for six touchdowns and totaled 449 total offensive yards, leading Presbyterian to a 55-21 victory over St. Thomas. Through the air, he completed 18-of-31 passes for 365 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed for a touchdown on a 12-carry, 84-yard effort and added a 13-yard reception. He opened the scoring with a 73-yard touchdown pass to Brice Johnson that set the tone and was one of nine passing plays that went for 20 or more yards. Sharpe found Johnson for a 10-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter, and Johnson finished with three receptions for 125 yards. Deverious Abercrombie (5 yards), Caleb Johnson (14 yards), and Anton Smith (31 yards) also had touchdown receptions.

Others Nominated

  • Drake quarterback Riley Warzynski completed 23-of-39 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns, his second straight 300-yard passing game, in a 30-22 victory against Dayton.
  • Marist running back Isaiah Simmons ran for two touchdowns in a 14-carry, 85-yard performance in a 28-14 victory at Stetson.
  • San Diego wide receiver Cole Monach caught eight passes for 124 yards and three touchdowns, becoming the third PFL receiver with a three-TD day, in San Diego’s 63-14 victory against Davidson.
  • St. Thomas wide receiver Pierce McCrary finished with six receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown in a loss at Presbyterian.
  • Stetson wide receiver Shawne Jones had four receptions for 32 yards and caught both of the Hatters’ touchdowns in a loss to Marist.
  • Valparaiso running back Cedric Benning III had 18 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown in a 37-3 victory at Morehead State.

Defensive

CJ Castille, San Diego (Sophomore, Cornerback, Eastvale, California)

Castille intercepted two passes and returned one for a touchdown, powering San Diego’s defense in a 63-14 victory against Stetson. He opened the second quarter with his first interception inside Davidson territory and his 10-yard return set up a San Diego drive that resulted in a touchdown and a 28-0 lead. Castille’s second pick came in the fourth quarter, and his 42-yard return for a touchdown pushed the Toreros lead to 56-14. San Diego’s defense intercepted four passes and held the Hatters to 183 passing yards on 25-of-49 passing.

Others Nominated

  • Drake defensive back Dax Wiskur had 11 tackles (seven solo), an interception, and a pass breakup, in a 30-22 victory against Dayton.
  • Marist defensive back Tyrell Powell had nine solo tackles and a pass breakup in a 28-14 victory against Stetson.
  • Presbyterian linebacker Jalyn Turner had three tackles for loss, including a half sack, in a four-tackle effort along with a pass breakup in a 55-21 victory against St. Thomas.
  • St. Thomas defensive back Ty Nielsen posted 12 tackles (nine solo) and had an interception in a loss at Presbyterian.
  • Stetson defensive lineman Casey Bending recorded seven tackles (four solo), with 1.5 tackles for loss and a half sack, in a loss against Marist.
  • Valparaiso linebacker Max Samuel finished with 2.5 tackles for loss, including a sack, in a six-tackle (three solo) effort as part of a 37-3 victory at Morehead State.

Special Teams

Chris Gundy, Valparaiso (Senior, Return Specialist, Smithfield, Virginia)

Gundy’s 95-yard punt return for a touchdown is the longest in the FCS this season and gave Valparaiso its first points in a 37-3 victory at Morehead State. It was his third punt-return touchdown of 2026, and he also leads all FCS return specialists. He finished with 144 combined kick return yards: two punt returns for 108 yards and a kick return for 36 yards.

Others Nominated

  • Marist kick returner Logan Johnson had a 45-yard kickoff return and averaged 32.5 yards on two kick returns in a 28-14 victory at Stetson.
  • San Diego kick returner Major Givens had 60 yards on two kick returns (30.0 yards per return) in a 63-14 win against Davidson.
  • St. Thomas kick returner Eli Paulson had 107 combined kick return yards, with three kick returns for 73 yards (24.3 yards per return) and one 34-yard punt return, in a loss at Presbyterian.
  • Stetson punter Brett Gonda averaged 46.7 yards on seven punts, including a 66-yarder as one of two 50-yard punts, and three downed inside the 20-yard line in a loss to Marist.

Freshman

Dax Wiskur, Drake (Freshman, Defensive Back, Sedalia, Missouri)

Wiskur led Drake with 11 tackles (seven solo) and had an interception and pass breakup in a 30-22 victory against Dayton. He made a key tackle for no gain on a 3rd-and-Goal at the Drake 1-yard line, stymying a Dayton drive that ended on a turnover on downs to start the second quarter. Wiskur closed that second quarter with his first collegiate interception, stopping another Dayton drive at the Drake 10-yard line.

Others Nominated

  • Marist defensive back Reggie Bropleh Jr. had eight tackles (five solo) and a pass breakup in a 28-14 victory against Stetson.
  • Presbyterian wide receiver Anton Smith caught three passes for 50 yards and a touchdown in a 55-21 win against St. Thomas.
  • San Diego running back Omar Mbakwe scored a touchdown as part of an eight-carry, 60-yard effort in a 63-14 win against Davidson.
  • Stetson defensive back Jahlani Clarke recorded five tackles, including a sack, and a pass breakup in a loss against Marist.
  • Valparaiso punter Will Orlando had a season-best 62-yard punt and averaged 48.5 yards on two punts in a 37-3 victory at Morehead State.

About the Pioneer Football League

The Pioneer Football League is the only non-scholarship, football-only NCAA Football Championship Subdivision conference. The PFL is a truly national conference with members on each coast and throughout the nation’s heartland. Butler University, the University of Dayton, Drake University, and Valparaiso University were among the league’s founding members in 1993, with Davidson College, Marist College, Morehead State University, Presbyterian College, the University of San Diego, the University of St. Thomas, and Stetson University joining to form the current 11-team league.