CHARLESTON, S.C. -- In the wake of a second consecutive victory Saturday, The Citadel graduate student James Platte earned recognition as both the Southern Conference as well as the Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week, concluding the 28-11 victory over Samford with a notable 54.6 punting average off five kicks over the course of the game. The Aiken, S.C., native managed to pin the visiting Bulldogs inside their own 20-yard line on three occasions, launched four of his five punts over 50 yards and even registered his eighth career kick over 60 yards, this time a 61-yarder midway through the second quarter.

For the 2024 campaign, Platte currently ranks second overall nationally within the FCS in punting average behind a 48.4 yards per kick mark. Additionally, the graduate student has led the charge in The Citadel serving as the seventh-best program within the FCS for net punting at a 42.05 yards per kick average.