ATLANTA – For the second time this season, FGCU women's soccer senior Melissa Weck has been selected as ASUN Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the league Monday afternoon.

Weck (Yorba Linda, CA/Esperanza HS) swept the weekly honors with classmate Evdokia Popadinova (Hadzhidimovo, Bulgaria/Northwestern Ohio) back on Sept. 23.

"I'm really proud of Weck and excited that she received this honor," head coach Jim Blankenship said. "She was so important in our results this week. She came up with big saves in both matches that preserved our wins and her shutouts. With Weck in net, we know that we always have a chance."

Weck posted back-to-back shutouts in the wins over Kennesaw State (Oct. 10) and NJIT (Oct. 13) at the Nest. Over the two-match stretch, she faced 15 shots and made five saves. The victories extended the team's unbeaten streak to eight matches and pushed FGCU to the top of the league standings.

The California native leads the league in goals-against average (0.81) and has allowed just 10 goals this season, which ties for the lowest of any ASUN keeper. She also stands at the top of the league in solo shutouts (6) and wins (9).  

Throughout her career, Weck has been a staple between the pipes for FGCU. Her 33.4 career shutouts rank second all-time and she checks in at third in the team record book in both saves (236) and goals-against average (0.74). She also ranks as one of the best keepers in conference history, checking in at third in career shutouts and fifth in goals-against average. Former Eagle Brittany Brown (2012-15) holds both the conference and team record in career shutouts (37), while FAU's Megan Coyne (2002-05) stands at the top of the league history with a 0.65 career goals-against average.

This is the sixth weekly ASUN honor for Weck, who has been selected to a postseason all-conference team in each of her previous three seasons in Fort Myers. With one more, she will tie Brittany Brown and FAU's Molly Keating for the most career weekly honors at seven. 

2019 ASUN Season Award Winners
Oct. 14 | Player: Molly Grant, Lipscomb // Defensive Player: Melissa Weck, FGCU
Oct. 7 | Player: Kasey Jamieson, Liberty // Defensive Player: Cora Duininck, Liberty
Sept. 30 | Player: Louise Lillback, FGCU // Defensive Player: Jessica Aseng, NJIT
Sept. 23 | Player: Evdokia Popadinova, FGCU // Defensive Player: Melissa Weck, FGCU
Sept. 16 | Player: Gabrielle Farrell, Liberty // Defensive: Melody Jayroe, Liberty
Sept. 9 | Player: Maggie Struble, Stetson // Defensive Player: Katia Hanger, Lipscomb
Sept. 3 | Player: Thais Reiss, UNF // Defensive Player: Sophia Thompson, UNF
Aug. 26 | Player: Thais Reiss, UNF // Defensive Player: Molly Saylor, NJIT

Up Next
FGCU (9-3-1, 4-0-1 ASUN) will remain at the Nest to host UNF (9-4-2, 3-1-1 ASUN) in a 7 p.m. clash on Thursday, Oct. 17 for the team's last regular season home conference game of the season. The match at the FGCU Soccer Complex will be on Faculty/Staff VIP Night and fans are invited to participate in a green out. The Ospreys are currently in a two-way tie for third place in the league standings with reigning ASUN champ Lipscomb. The Eagles have never lost to UNF in Fort Myers and hold a 10-1-2 edge in the all-time series history.

FALL SPORTS SINGLE-GAME, SEASON AND GROUP TICKETS ON SALE
Single game tickets for volleyball, men's soccer and women's soccer are on sale now. Prices are $7 for adults and $5 for military/veterans (with ID) and youth (age 15 and under).

Season tickets (entry to each home game) are $55 for volleyball and women's soccer and $40 for men's soccer. Group tickets are $7 for groups of 15 or more and will include reserved seats, group recognition, a group activity and choice of FGCU gear or food. Fall Frequent Flyer passes, which includes a total of 30 entries to all three sports, are just $99.

For all inquiries, you can visit FGCUtickets.com, call 239-590-7145 or stop by the ticket office, which is open daily Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and one hour prior to all home events.

FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the women's soccer team on Twitter @FGCU_WSoccer, on Instagram @FGCU_WSoccer or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUWSoccer. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.

COACH JIM BLANKENSHIP
A veteran of over two decades in collegiate coaching, head coach Jim Blankenship, who was named the ASUN Coach of the Year in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, has built FGCU women's soccer into a yearly contender in the ASUN Conference and a rising program in the South Region in just 12 seasons. Blankenship started the program in 2007 and has since guided the Eagles to 11 double-digit win seasons, culminating with ASUN Regular Season Championships in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017. In 2011 and 2012 he also led the Eagles to back-to-back ASUN Tournament titles as they became the first team in the history of the university to make it to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles went on to win the 2014 ASUN Tournament and hosted the first NCAA Championship event on campus. The Eagles earned their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance with the 2015 ASUN Tournament Championship and won their first NCAA game at USF in 2015 while finishing 24th in the nation. In 2016, the Eagles made it three-consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament with a third-straight ASUN Tournament title. A year later, the Eagles became the first ASUN women's soccer program to make four-straight NCAA Tournaments with another tournament title in 2017. Blankenship has guided FGCU to a 165-58-24 (.715) overall record through the first 12 seasons of the program's existence, including an 80-14-15 (.803) mark in the ASUN. Blankenship's impressive career record of 405-128-35 (.744) over 26 seasons has come while leading FGCU, the University of Miami, Lynn University and St. Thomas University.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.

ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 78 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including both men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution's undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.
 
-- FGCUATHLETICS.COM –