KANSAS CITY, Mo. (September 27, 2023) – United Soccer Coaches announced its College Player of the Week awards on Wednesday afternoon, with eight student-athletes representing NCAA Division I, II, III, and NJCAA men’s and women’s soccer.
NCAA Division I Men: Pietro Fontana (Central Arkansas)
NCAA Division I Women: Ashleigh Williams (Texas Tech)
NCAA Division II Men: Manuel Schwarz (American International)
NCAA Division II Women: Tatumn Damron (Truman State University)
NCAA Division III Men: Patrick Larkin (Nazareth University)
NCAA Division III Women: Katelyn Herbert (Eastern Connecticut State)
Junior College Men: Donovan Palomares (El Camino)
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Junior College Women: Whitni Newbill (Dallas College Brookhaven)
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| Pietro Fontana | Ashleigh Williams |
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Pietro Fontana tied the Central Arkansas single-game record by scoring four goals, currently holding the highest single-game scoring total across all of Division I this week. Williams opened the scoring for Texas Tech in their 2-1 victory over Texas. In the match against Baylor, she achieved a brace with goals in the 24th and 53rd minutes. With a total of 12 goals, Williams now leads the Red Raiders in team scoring, surpassing her previous season’s total of nine goals. |
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| Manuel Schwarz | Tatumn Damron |
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Schwarz guided the AIC to a 2-0-0 week. He netted two goals against Assumption and then showcased a hat trick within the first 37 minutes and 22 seconds of a 3-1 win over New Haven. His five-goal performance in these two matches propelled him into a tie, at that moment, for the top spot in goals scored in the NE10 league. Tatumn Damron had a season-best 12 saves in the game against Quincy and six saves in the UIS match. Over 180 minutes of play, she confronted a total of 34 shots. Her efforts played a role in extending Truman’s unbeaten streak to five games, and she secured her fourth shutout in the last five matches. This impressive display earned her the GLVC Defensive Player of the Week Award, marking her first-ever career achievement in this category.
Larkin helped Nazareth remain undefeated on the season with a pair of shutout efforts last week. He had one official save in the 2-0 win over Oswego and then stopped five shots in the 1-0 Empire 8 win over Hartwick Saturday. He now has three consecutive clean sheets and has not allowed a goal in 318:17. Hebert earned recognition as the LEC Offensive Player of the Week for, amassing four goals and a total of nine points during a 2-0-1 week for the Warriors. In a 3-1 non-conference victory over Coast Guard, she played a role in all three goals, netting two herself and assisting in the game-winning goal against the Bears. Additionally, she secured the lone goal of the match in a 1-0 non-conference win against Westfield State. To conclude the week, Hebert opened the scoring with the first goal in a 1-1 draw against LEC-rival Keene State on Saturday.
Palomares secured two shutouts for the week, maintaining a clean sheet on the road against Glendale, a team ranked 15th in the nation according to the United Soccer Coaches’ poll at the time. During that performance, he made three saves to ensure the shutout. Palomares continued his strong form with another shutout win over Chaffey on Friday, where he made three saves. Sophomore Whitni Newbill, has been creating numerous challenges for opposing defenses. Her threatening runs drew double teams against DC-Eastfield, creating scoring opportunities for her teammates. Against DC-Mountain View, she scored the first two goals for Brookhaven. In the second half, she turned provider, assisting on Brookhaven’s fourth and sixth goals. Whitni concluded the week with six shots, four on target, two goals, and two assists. |
Each Wednesday during the college regular season, United Soccer Coaches selects a men’s and women’s Player of the Week for NCAA Divisions I, II, and III and Junior College competition based on nominations from schools and conferences. Nominations are due every Tuesday by 10 a.m. CT to be considered.