Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, and Rutgers Collect Big Ten Weekly Women’s Soccer Honors
Boilermakers’ Emily Mathews, Scarlet Knights’ Becci Fluchel and Kassidy Banks, Spartans’ Lauren Kozal, and Fighting Illini’s Naomi Jackson selected for this week’s conference awards
Offensive Player of the Week
Emily Mathews, Purdue
So. – M – Macomb, Michigan – Lutheran High North – Major: Mechanical Engineering
• Recorded a hat trick to lead the Boilermakers to a 3-1 victory at Nebraska on Sunday
• Marks the seventh hat trick in program history and the third-ever by a Boilermaker in Big Ten play
• The three-goal performance ties a Purdue single-game record
• Earns her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Purdue Offensive Player of the Week: Sarah Griffith (Aug. 31, 2021)
Defensive Player of the Week
Becci Fluchel, Rutgers
So. – M/B – Pittstown, N.J. – North Hunterdon Regional
• Scored the game winner on a penalty kick in a 2-1 win over No. 8 Penn State, marking her first career goal
• Aided the defense in holding both Penn State and Drexel to single-digit shots on goal, including limiting Penn State to just four shots on target
• Helped Rutgers pick up its fourth shutout of the year in the 4-0 win over Drexel
• Secures her first career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award
• Last Rutgers Defensive Player of the Week: Gabby Provenzano (September 7, 2021)
Goalkeeper of the Week
Lauren Kozal, Michigan State
Jr. – GK – Ada, Michigan – Forest Hills Northern – Major: Interpersonal Communication
• Led Michigan State to a road win over Indiana with five saves, marking her fifth shutout of the season
• Currently ranks second among Big Ten goalkeepers in save percentage (.900) and shutouts per game (.625), while ranking third in goals against average (.355)
• Collects her first career Goalkeeper of the Week award
• Last Michigan State Goalkeeper of the Week: Reilley Ott (September 4, 2018)
Co-Freshman of the Week
Naomi Jackson, Illinois
GK – Freeport, Illinois – Freeport – Major: Criminal Justice
• Made a career-high 13 saves on 35 shots faced in a double-overtime loss at No. 21 Michigan
• Recorded the most saves in a game by an Illinois goalkeeper since Jaelyn Cunningham at No. 8 Penn State (Sept. 17, 2017)
• Collects her first career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Sydney Stephens (Sept. 14, 2021)
Co-Freshman of the Week
Kassidy Banks, Rutgers
B – Staten Island, N.Y. – Curtis
• Started and played the full 90 minutes in Rutgers’ 2-1 win over No. 8 Penn State, aiding the backline in holding the Nittany Lions to just four total shots on goal
• Started and played 50 minutes in the 4-0 shutout of Drexel, holding the Dragons to single-digit shots on goal
• Dating back to 2019, Rutgers has held 36 straight opponents to single-digit shots on goal
• Collects her first career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Rutgers Freshman of the Week: Riley Tiernan (Aug. 31, 2021)
2021 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Honorees
Aug. 24
O: Payton Linnehan, Jr., PSU
D: Sara Wheaton, Sr., IOWA
GK: Sami Hauk, So., NEB
F: Kenzie Roling, IOWA
Aug. 31
O: Sarah Griffith, Sr., PUR
O: Frankie Tagliaferri, Sr., RU
D: Nicole Kevdzija, So., PUR
GK: Sami Hauk, So., NEB
F: Riley Tiernan, RU
Sept. 7
O: Kayla Fischer, Sr., OSU
D: Gabby Provenzano, Sr., RU
GK: Megan Plaschko, Jr., MINN
GK: Jordyn Bloomer, Sr., WIS
F: Jordyn Levy, IND
Sept. 14
O: Paige Webber, Jr., IND
D: Makenzie Langdok, Grad., MINN
GK: Katherine Asman, Jr., PSU
F: Sydney Stephens, ILL
F: Jamie Gerstenberg, IND
Sept. 21
O: Emily Mathews, So., PUR
D: Becci Fluchel, So., RU
GK: Lauren Kozal, Jr., MSU
F: Naomi Jackson, ILL
F: Kassidy Banks, RU
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