West Virginia’s Sophia Nickel and Olivia Shertzer captured the league’s offensive and defensive weekly honors, respectively, while Arizona State’s Kennedy Zorn and Jenna Whinney garnered the weekly awards for goalkeeper and freshmen.
Nickel added two game-winning goals to her season. Her first goal of the week lifted the Mountaineers 2-1 over then-No. 23 Penn State, the team’s first win over the Nittany Lions in nine seasons. She then rounded out her week with the winning goal in the shutout over Duquesne. Nickel is the first Mountaineer to score in each of the team’s first matches since WVU joined the Big 12 in 2012. This is the junior’s first Big 12 accolade.
Shertzer scored the game-tying goal against Penn State as the backline held the Nittany Lions to three shots on goal. She went on to lead WVU’s defense to another shutout with a 2-0 victory over Duquesne. The Mountaineers have held their opponents to three combined shots on goal in each game, earning their first 3-0 start since the 2006 season. This is her first Big 12 weekly honor.
Zorn saw 161 minutes of action in the net for the Sun Devils in their two matches against Texas and Buffalo. She tied her single-match career high with back-to-back performances of four saves. She held the Longhorns to a lone goal, while she earned her first career combined shutout in the 5-0 victory over the Bulls. This is the Michigan State transfer’s first league honor.
Whinney, a freshman defender, helped ASU’s offensive efforts against Buffalo with two assists and a goal. Her four points were the most credited to a Sun Devil defender in a single match under the helm of Coach Graham Winkworth, while she is the first defender since 2021 to register a goal and an assist in the same contest. Whinney was one of two ASU players to register four points during the week, while she tied as the weekly assist leader in the Big 12.
Five Big 12 teams were ranked in this week’s IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Top 25 Poll. No. 7 West Virginia garnered its first top 10 ranking since the 2020-21 season, followed by No. 12 Colorado, No. 14 UCF, No. 15 BYU and No. 17 Kansas. Baylor, TCU and Texas Tech received votes.
Big 12 teams return to action this week with games slated on Thursday and Sunday.
Big 12 Soccer Players of the Week – Aug. 26
Offensive: Sophia Nickel, West Virginia
Defensive: Olivia Shertzer, West Virginia
Goalkeeper: Kennedy Zorn, Arizona State
Freshman: Jenna Whinney, Arizona State