RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – The Great American Conference announced the men’s soccer players of the week for the fourth week of the 2024 season. Southern Nazarene’s Unaiz Shajani won Offensive Player of the Week while Rogers State’s Trindon Turner and Declan Viljoen claimed the Defender and Goalkeeper of the Week honors.
#theGAC/MIAA MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Unaiz Shajani, F, Southern Nazarene, Sr., Nairobii, Kenya
Shajani repeated as Player of the Week after netting a hat trick against Newman and two goals in a 3-1 victory against No. 17 Fort Hays State. His three goals against the Jets came in a nine-minute span. He scored the winning goal against the Tigers with a 79th-minute strike and added an insurance goal in the 87th minute. His eight goals rank fifth in Division II.
#theGAC/MIAA MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Trindon Turner, D, Rogers State, Sr., Edmond, Oklahoma
Turner led the Hillcat defense in wins against Ouachita Baptist and Harding. In the 3-0 win at the Tigers, the Hillcats held the Tigers to just two shots. He converted a penalty kick in the fourth minute. In a 4-1 win against the Bisons, the defense surrendered just six shots. Additionally, he scored the final goal of the match, a 42nd-minute tally off of a corner.
#theGAC/MIAA MEN’S SOCCER GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK – Declan Viljoen, GK, Rogers State, Sr., Auckland, New Zealand
Viljoen and the Hillcats started conference play with two convincing home victories. He earned his first shutout of the year in a 3-0 win against Ouachita Baptist as he made two saves on two shots faced. In a 4-1 triumph against Harding, Viljoen made one save on six shots faced after allowing a goal in the 12th minute.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Louis Bassett, F (Rogers State), Gustavo Dias Juliani, MF (Newman), Nojus Grudis, F (Harding)
Keshon Carter, D (Southern Nazarene), Nicolo Lai, D (Newman)
Andrej Krivokapic, GK (Southern Nazarene)
A three-person committee selects all GAC Athlete of the Week awards
Get Local News!
