Weekly Honors Spotlight
The American Conference announced its weekly women's soccer honors for the second week of the 2026 season, spotlighting a blend of veteran leaders and fresh faces who have shaped the early narrative of the campaign.
North Texas forward Claire Niedermeier captured the Offensive Player of the Week award after delivering a match‑winning goal and a second career hat trick, helping her squad navigate a 2‑0 stretch that underscored the team’s attacking depth.
Defensively, Temple’s Maddie Ward earned Defensive Player of the Week honors for anchoring back‑to‑back shutouts against LIU and Saint Peter’s, while goalkeeper Ana Zivkovic extended her unbeaten streak to three consecutive matches, logging over 290 minutes of pristine goalkeeping.
Midfielders and attackers also made their mark; Tulsa’s Kyrsten Kizer converted a penalty kick to open her goal account, and Charlotte’s Marlies Pison received an honorable mention for striking the decisive goal in a 1‑0 victory over USC Upstate.
Freshman Victoria Pimenta from Temple made an immediate impact, scoring and assisting on two insurance goals during a 3‑0 win over LIU, marking her first points in a Temple uniform and hinting at a promising future.
UTSA’s Amelia Clark recorded her inaugural collegiate points by setting up the match‑winning goal and adding an insurance strike in a 4‑1 triumph, while teammate Ava Jackson contributed a goal, an assist and another insurance tally in a 4‑1 win that also featured a clean sheet against Colorado College.
Between the posts, North Texas goalkeeper Sarah Margaret Seabrook led the conference with nine saves and posted a .818 save percentage, a performance that helped the team maintain momentum during critical moments.
The honorees’ contributions span a geographic footprint that includes institutions from Denton to Tulsa, from Little Rock to Colorado Springs, reflecting the conference’s wide‑reaching competitiveness and the growing parity among its member schools.