Valparaiso University football redshirt senior Chris Gundy (Smithfield, Va. / Smithfield) was named the Pioneer Football League Special Teams Player of the Week on Sunday after taking two punts to the house in a season-opening, 59-13 rout of Lawrence Tech on Saturday afternoon at Brown Field.
 
Gundy helped Valpo tie an FCS record for team punt return touchdowns in a game with three. He became the first player in program history with multiple punt return touchdowns in a season, let alone a game. He totaled three punt returns for 108 yards in the victory, a single-game yardage accumulation that would have ranked fifth nationally in FCS for all of last season. His punt-return TDs went for 59 and 41 yards. He highlighted a stellar day for a Valpo special teams unit that also blocked two Lawrence Tech punts.  
 
Gundy, who was a member of the Phil Steele Preseason All-PFL First Team as a return specialist this season, led the PFL in kick return average at 28.6 in 2025. He broke a 94-yard kickoff return touchdown on Oct. 18, 2025 at St. Thomas. The Beacons boasted multiple PFL Special Teams Player of the Week awards last season, most recently Nic Lendino on Nov. 16 after the victory over Stetson.