Weekly Honors Recognize Early Impact
The Southern Conference announced its weekly player awards, naming Samson Kpardeh of Liberty as Offensive Player of the Week and Trym Linberg of UNC Greensboro as Defensive Player of the Week for contests played between August 21 and 24.
Kpardeh’s influence was immediate, finding the net twice during Liberty’s opening stretch. His first goal came early in a 1-0 victory over San Diego State, a strike set up by Hugo Kopke and Finn Van den Berg, and his second contribution helped the team secure a 1-1 result against the nation’s top‑ranked San Diego side.
Linberg, meanwhile, demonstrated his defensive acumen in UNC Greensboro’s 4-1 win over VCU, delivering two assists that marked his first multi‑assist outing at the collegiate level. His presence was pivotal in a backline that limited opponents to a single goal across two matches, including a 0-0 draw with San Francisco.
Both squads are set to host home fixtures in the near future. Liberty will open its home schedule on August 28 against Florida Gulf Coast at 6:00 p.m. ET, a broadcast available on ESPN+. UNC Greensboro will welcome No. 23 West Virginia later that evening at 7:00 p.m. inside the UNCG Soccer Stadium, also streamed on ESPN+.
Kpardeh’s endurance has been evident, logging the full 90 minutes in each of his recent appearances, while Linberg’s defensive consistency has helped the team maintain a 1-0-1 record in those contests. Early results suggest that both programs are shaping competitive narratives as they navigate their inaugural SoCon campaigns.
The opening week of conference play delivered mixed outcomes for the newcomers. Liberty began with a 2-1 triumph over San Diego State before succumbing to a 1-0 loss against top‑seeded San Diego, a pair of results that underscore the competitive balance within the league.