ST. LOUIS – Junior safety Nick Cagnetto of the Drake University football team was named this week's Pioneer Football League Defensive Player of the Week, the PFL announced Sunday, Sept. 19. It is the first career PFL Defensive Player of the Week award for Cagnetto, and already the second for a Drake player with fellow safety Alex Rogers earning the award after week one.
 
In his first career start, Cagnetto forced a pair of turnovers deep in Drake's territory in Saturday's road loss at No. 11 North Dakota. Late in the first half, the Denton, Texas native forced his first career fumble at the Bulldogs' one-yard line resulting in a recovery that stopped a potential scoring drive. Later at the start of the fourth quarter, Cagnetto picked off his first career pass, again at Drake's one-yard line and returned it 28 yards. He added four tackles, including three solos.
 
Cagnetto and his teammates host Valparaiso Sept. 25 at Drake Stadium in the team's league opener.