Fighting Illini’s Eileen Murphy, Hawkeyes’ Hannah Drkulec, Spartans’ Gia Wahlberg and Boilermakers’ Marissa Bova are the first weekly honorees of the 2019 season
Offensive Player of the Week
Gia Wahlberg, Michigan State
F – So. – South Elgin, Ill. – St. Charles North
Tied a Big Ten record with four goals (on five shots), all in the first half of Michigan State’s 5-1 win over Marshall on Sunday
The four goals were the first of her career, the first time a Spartan scored four times in the first half of an MSU home game, and the first four-goal outing by a Spartan since Aug. 25, 2006 (Lauren Hill against Western Michigan)
Earns her first career Offensive Player of the Week honor
Last Michigan State Offensive Player of the Week: Sadie Misiewicz (Aug. 21, 2018)
Defensive Player of the Week
Hannah Drkulec, Iowa
D – Sr. – Windsor, Ontario – St. Anne
Anchored an Iowa defense that allowed just four shots in wins over Western Michigan and Northern Iowa last weekend
Scored her second career goal on Sunday against UNI and set up the game-winning score in the Aug. 22 season opener against WMU
A two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection (2017 and 2018), as well as a 2018 Google Cloud Academic All-America First Team honoree
Garners her first career Defensive Player of the Week honor
Last Iowa Defensive Player of the Week: Morgan Kemmerling (Oct. 16, 2018)
Goalkeeper of the Week
Marisa Bova, Purdue
GK – So. – Hartland, Wis. – Arrowhead Union
Recorded a pair of shutouts to open the 2019 season, blanking Georgia and Toledo
Tallied four saves on the weekend, two in each of the Boilermakers’ victories
Receives her first career Goalkeeper of the Week accolade
Last Purdue Goalkeeper of the Week: N/A (award first presented in 2018)
Freshman of the Week
Eileen Murphy, Illinois
F – Fr. – La Grange Park, Ill. – Lyons Township
Scored the game-winning goal (the first of her career) in Illinois’ 3-2 win over visiting Dayton on Sunday
Earned starting assignments in the Fighting Illini’s games against Loyola-Chicago and UD last weekend
Receives her first career Freshman of the Week accolade
Last Illinois Freshman of the Week: Makena Silber (Aug. 21, 2018)