Big Ten Women’s Soccer Awards announced following Week 3 of 2022 season

The Big Ten Conference has announced the women’s soccer weekly awards following Week 3 of the 2022 NCAA season.

Offensive Player of the Week

Sam Kroeger, Rutgers
Jr. – F – West Milford, N.J. – West Milford Township – Major: Sport Management

• Collected three goals in two wins last week, helping No. 9 Rutgers become one of only three teams in the country to start the season 6-0-0 (tying the Scarlet Knights’ best-ever start to a season, previously achieved in both 1996 and 2017)
• Scored twice in the opening three minutes of Sunday’s 3-0 win over in-state rival Princeton, after also netting the first (and winning goal) in RU’s 7-0 victory over Temple on Sept. 1
• Named an Academic All-Big Ten selection last year
• Collects her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Rutgers Offensive Player of the Week: Allison Lowrey (Aug. 23, 2022)

Co-Defensive Player of the Week

Emma Phillips, Northwestern
So. – D – Munster, Ind. – Munster – Major: Communication Studies

• Played nearly every minute in Northwestern’s victories over DePaul and No. 19 Xavier last week, helping the Wildcats improve to 4-1-1 this year, their best start since 2018 (5-0-1)
• Helped NU to a 2-0 shutout of nationally-ranked Xavier, holding the Musketeers to a season-low nine total shots and assisting on a 12^th-minute insurance goal en route to Northwestern’s first non-conference Top 25 win since Nov. 14, 2015 (1-0 in 2OT at No. 24 Washington State)
• Scored the game-winning goal in the 77^th minute of a Sept. 1 win at DePaul
• Secures her first career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week accolade
• Last Northwestern Defensive Player of the Week: Hallie Pearson (Feb. 23, 2021)

Co-Defensive Player of the Week

Talani Barnett, Ohio State
Sr. – D – Bay Shore, N.Y. – Bay Shore – Major: Human Development and Family Science

• Anchored the Ohio State backline to a pair of shutouts last week, blanking in-state foe Dayton, 4-0, before playing No. 18 Texas A&M to a 0-0 draw
• Helped the Buckeyes hold their two opponents to a combined three shots on goal (one by Dayton, two by Texas A&M)
• The back-to-back shutouts were the first for Ohio State since it had three in a row from March 25-April 3, 2021, and the first consecutive shutouts in non-conference play since Aug. 24-Sept. 2, 2018 (clean sheets at No. 5 Florida, home vs. Morehead State and at Notre Dame)
• Captures her first career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Defensive Player of the Week: Izzy Rodriguez (Sept. 25, 2018)

Goalkeeper of the Week

Maddie Smith, Maryland
Sr. – Omaha, Neb. – Millard – Major: Family Science

• Went the distance in both of Maryland’s matches last week, allowing just one goal over 180 minutes in a 1-1 draw vs. No. 17 Georgetown and a 3-0 shutout win over George Mason
• Had a combined 10 saves last weekend, making a career-high nine stops in the tie with nationally-ranked Georgetown
• Picked up her first solo shutout in a Terrapin uniform, blanking George Mason to give Maryland its first win of the season (following four ties)
• Garners her first career Goalkeeper of the Week honor
• Last Maryland Goalkeeper of the Week: Erin Seppi (Oct. 22, 2019)

Freshman of the Week

Allie Post, Rutgers
M – Mountainside, N.J. – Governor Livingston – Major: Undeclared

• Opened her collegiate scoring account with a goal and an assist in No. 9 Rutgers’ 7-0 win over Temple on Sept. 1
• Saw action in both of the Scarlet Knights’ victories last weekend (also 3-0 vs. Princeton on Sunday), helping RU match its best start to a season in program history (6-0-0)
• Receives her first career Freshman of the Week citation
• Last Rutgers Freshman of the Week: Riley Tiernan (Oct. 19, 2021)

2022 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Honorees

Aug. 23
O: Allison Lowrey, Jr., RU
D: Aidan McConnell, So., WIS
GK: Jamie Gerstenberg, So., IND
GK: Erin McKinney, Grad., WIS
F: Amelia White, PSU
F: Naomi Splittorff, PUR

Aug. 30
O: Lily Farkas, Sr., MICH
D: Mieke Schiemann, So., PSU
GK: Lauren Kozal, RS-Sr., MSU
F: Courtney Koehler, MSU

Sept. 6
O: Sam Kroeger, Jr., RU
D: Emma Phillips, So., NU
D: Talani Barnett, Sr., OSU
GK: Maddie Smith, Sr., MD
F: Allie Post, RU