United Soccer Coaches Honors Seven with Player of the Week Awards
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (Oct. 23, 2018) – United Soccer Coaches honored seven collegiate student-athletes with Player of the Week awards, the association announced on Tuesday.
NCAA Division I Men: Kristo Strickler (Virginia Tech)
NCAA Division I Women: Deyna Castellanos (Florida State)
NCAA Division II Men: Brett Jones (UC San Diego)
NCAA Division II Women: Emily Hopkins (Southern Indiana)
NCAA Division III Men: Joseph Fala (Ramapo College)
NCAA Division III Women: Jaclyn O’Grady (UMass Boston)
Junior College Women: Moriah Lucas (Iowa Western CC)
Virginia Tech sophomore forward Kristo Strickler (Hilliar, Ohio) scored three goals and dished out two assists for eight points as the Hokies went 2-0 last week. He scored two goals, including the game-winner, and had an assist in a comeback win over No. 16 Notre Dame. Florida State junior forward Deyna Castellanos (Maracay, Venezuela) scored two goals and dished out two assists in a pair of road wins for the Seminoles, both goals were game-winners including an upset over No. 6 Virginia, FSU’s first-ever at UVA.
UC San Diego sophomore forward Brett Jones (Mission Viejo, Calif.) had a hand in two huge goals for UC San Diego as the Tritons swept their main rivals last week. He assisted on the game-winner in a 1-0 win over No. 9 Cal State LA, giving them their first CCAA loss of the year and their first defeat since Sept. 6. Jones also scored the short-handed game-winner for the Tritons in the 99th minute of a 2-1 win over Cal State Dominguez Hills. Southern Indiana senior goalkeeper Emily Hopkins (Greenfield, Ind.) registered a pair of shutouts over the weekend as the Screaming Eagles went 2-0 on the week. She recorded 17 saves in 180 minutes of action.
In NCAA Division III action, Ramapo College junior forward Joseph Fala (Cape May Court House, N.J.) scored four goals and dished out one assist for nine points. He scored all four goals, with both game-winners, in a pair of 2-1 conference victories and also assisted on a goal in a non-con win. Jaclyn O’Grady (Somers, Conn.), senior forward for UMass Boston, scored three goals and dished out three assists for nine points and had a pair of game-winning goals.
Our final honoree this week is Iowa Western Community College freshman midfielder Moriah Lucas (Pleasant Grove, Utah). Lucas scored two goals, including the game-winner, in the Reivers’ only contest of the week.
Each Tuesday during the college regular season, United Soccer Coaches selects a men’s and women’s Player of the Week for NCAA Division I, Division II, Division 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.