Whitney Hooper (Texas A&M/Houston, Texas) and Yannick Salmon (Rutgers/Westbury, N.Y.) have claimed NSCAA National Player of the Week honors for Sept. 23.

Hooper powered No. 17 Texas A&M to an upset victory over previously unbeaten No. 2 Portland, while Salmon scored three goals, including two game-winners, to give Rutgers a pair of conference wins last week.

Each week, a male and female player will be selected from a nomination pool comprised of players of the week from each NCAA Division I soccer conference. The players will be announced each Wednesday afternoon from now until Nov. 11 through NSCAA.com, the official website of the National Soccer Coaches Association of America. They also will be recognized at halftime of the NSCAA College Game of the Week on Fox Soccer Channel, a schedule of 20 men’s and women’s intercollegiate matches. This week’s broadcasts feature both men’s and women’s reigning national champions hosting key conference matches. Men’s ACC supremacy will be on the line Friday, Sept. 25, as No. 4 Maryland (3-1-1) hosts No. 2 North Carolina (4-0-1) in an 8 p.m. ET contest. The Tar Heel women’s program takes the spotlight at 5 p.m. ET Sunday, Sept. 27, as No. 7 Wake Forest (8-1-0) invades Fetzer Field to tackle No. 1 North Carolina (7-0-1).

Whitney Hooper
F, Jr., Texas A&M, Houston, Texas
Hooper netted three goals for six points last weekend to lead A&M to a pair of victories. In the Aggies’ upset of previously unbeaten No. 2 Portland, Hooper scored two goals, including the game-winner. She produced another game-winning goal in A&M’s 4-0 shutout of Sam Houston State on Sunday. Over the weekend, Hooper led the team in almost every offensive category with six points, three goals, eight shots and five shots on goal. She currently leads the team with four goals, nine points and a .250 shot percentage on the season.

Yannick Salmon
MF, Jr., Rutgers, Westbury, N.Y.
Salmon propelled Rutgers to a 2-0-0 record to open Big East competition. The junior midfielder scored three goals in two games, including a pair of game-winners in 2-1 wins over Providence on Sept. 18 and Connecticut on Sept. 20. Salmon’s game-winning goal was scored 8:51 into the second overtime against Providence. He flicked in a shot to the left corner of the goal off a throw-in. His first tally against the Huskies came on a penalty kick, while the second goal was shot from 12 yards out to the lower left corner.

This Year’s Recipients
Sept. 2: Women – Corky Julien, James Madison; Men – no selection
Sept. 9: Women – Jessica Price, Florida State; Men – Andrew Bulls, UMBC
Sept. 16: Women – Aline Reis, Central Florida; Men – Steffen Vroom, DePaul

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