Indiana, Ohio State, Purdue and Rutgers Collect Big Ten Weekly Women’s Soccer Honors
Hoosiers’ Forbes and Kopel, Buckeyes’ Sears, Boilermakers’ Kevdzija and Scarlet Knights’ Provenzano secure this week’s conference awards
Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Melanie Forbes, Indiana
Sr. – M – Mississauga, Ontario – Appleby College – Major: Human Biology
• Accounted for all three of Indiana’s goals in the Hoosiers’ home wins over Rutgers and Iowa last week
• Scored the lone goal 4:08 into overtime of the Feb. 25 win over RU, Indiana’s first victory in the seven-game series with the Scarlet Knights
• Put the Hoosiers ahead to stay with a pair of first-half goals in Sunday’s win over Iowa
• A two-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2018-19 and 2019-20)
• Earns her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Indiana Offensive Player of the Week: Annelie Leitner (Sept. 4, 2018)
Co-Offensive Player of the Week
Emma Sears, Ohio State
So. – F – Dublin, Ohio – Dublin Jerome – Major: Undeclared
• Scored all three Ohio State goals on five shots (four on frame) in the Buckeyes’ 3-1 win over Wisconsin on Feb. 25
• Recorded her first career hat trick, capped by the clinching score in the 89th minute
• Has placed 11 of her 14 shots on goal this season
• Earns her first career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award
• Last Ohio State Offensive Player of the Week: Izzy Rodriguez (Oct. 2, 2018)
Defensive Player of the Week
Gabby Provenzano, Rutgers
Sr. – D – Sergeantsville, N.J. – Hunterdon Central Regional – Major: Sport Management
• Anchored a Rutgers defense that allowed just six shots on goal in two conference games last week
• Scored the game-winning goal late in the first half of Sunday’s victory at Purdue
• Was her third career goal and second game winner, having also netted the decisive goal against Purdue in 2018
• Twice named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten selection (2018-19 and 2019-20)
• Earns her second career Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week award
• Last Rutgers Defensive Player of the Week: Gabby Provenzano (Oct. 22, 2019)
Goalkeeper of the Week
Bethany Kopel, Indiana
Sr. – Novi, Mich. – Novi – Major: Human Biology
• Carded back-to-back shutouts and made a combined six saves in wins over Rutgers and Iowa last week
• Turned aside three shots in the Feb. 25 overtime victory over Rutgers
• Also stopped three shots in Sunday’s win over Iowa
• Chosen as a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and Academic All-Big Ten recipient the past two seasons (2018-19 and 2019-20)
• Earns her first career Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week award
• Last Indiana Goalkeeper of the Week: N/A (award first presented in 2018)
Freshman of the Week
Nicole Kevdzija, Purdue
F – Strongsville, Ohio – Strongsville – Major: Undeclared
• Registered a goal and an assist while helping Purdue split its two Big Ten games last week
• Scored the game-winning goal on a breakaway 1:54 into the second overtime of the Feb. 25 win over Maryland as the Boilermakers rallied for the 3-2 victory
• Also had the assist on Purdue’s opening goal against the Terrapins, setting up Sarah Griffith’s score 30 seconds into the game
• Earns her first career Freshman of the Week award
• Last Purdue Freshman of the Week: Sydney Sparks (Sept. 24, 2019)
2020-21 Big Ten Women’s Soccer Honorees
Feb. 23
O: Amirah Ali, Sr., RU
D: Hallie Pearson, Jr., NU
GK: Hillary Beall, Sr., MICH
F: Sam Kroeger, F, RU
March 2
O: Melanie Forbes, Sr., IND
O: Emma Sears, So., OSU
D: Gabby Provenzano, Sr., RU
GK: Bethany Kopel, Sr., IND
F: Nicole Kevdzija, PUR