Krista Lopez (Oklahoma State/Carrollton, Texas) and Billy Schuler (North Carolina/Allentown, N.J.) had prolific scoring weekends and have earned Disney Soccer/NSCAA National Player of the Week honors for Sept. 7.

Lopez set an Oklahoma State single-game record with four goals in the Cowgirls’ 7-0 blanking of Arkansas-Little Rock, while Schuler scored three times, including the game-winner over top-ranked Louisville.

Each week, a male and female player will be selected by a committee 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. 8 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, a schedule of 20 men’s and women’s intercollegiate matches. This week the women’s portion of the schedule kicks off when Marquette and Milwaukee square off in an intra-city rivalry on Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET. Men’s action continues with a key ACC match-up as Virginia travels to Duke for a 7 p.m. start on Friday, Sept. 9.

Krista Lopez
F, Sr., Oklahoma State, Carrollton, Texas
Lopez set an OSU record Sunday when she recorded four goals against Arkansas-Little Rock to become the first Cowgirl in history to score four goals in a single game. Lopez broke the previous mark of three, which she held with nine other players. Lopez notched a hat trick in the opening half with three goals, then added her record-setting fourth just over five minutes into the second half. Lopez also set an OSU single-game record by collecting eight points. Lopez took seven shots in the match, with five of those on goal. The senior is the first Big 12 player to have four goals in a game since Nikki Marshall had four for Colorado on Oct. 2, 2009. With the four goals, Lopez vaulted to the top of the Big 12 in goals this season with five. She also moved into a tie for sixth all time at OSU with 24 career goals and now ranks in the top 10 on the Cowgirls’ career points list. Scores and Stats: OSU def. Creighton, 1-0 – Lopez 2 shots, 1 on goal; OSU def. Arkansas-Little Rock, 7-0 – Lopez 4 goals, 1 game-winning goal, 7 shots, 5 on goal.

Billy Schuler
F, Jr., North Carolina, Allentown, N.J.
Schuler led the Tar Heels to two victories, including a 2-1 win over top-ranked Louisville in which he scored the game-wining goal. Schuler found the back of the net in the 74th minute for the tie-breaking goal against the Cardinals on Sunday. Two days earlier on Friday, Schuler had scored a pair of goals to key a 5-1 win over Oregon State. Schuler has scored in all three games this season, all three of which have been game winners for UNC. Schuler is tied for the ACC lead with four goals on the year and is averaging 1.33 per contest. The Allentown, N.J., native played just two games in 2010 and has made an immediate impact for the Tar Heels since returning from injury. 

This Year’s Recipients
Aug. 24: Women – Lexi Kopf, UC Irvine; Men – No selection (season not started).
Aug. 31: Women – Courtney Jones, North Carolina; Men – Tyler Riggs, Kentucky

NSCAA members log in to comment. Not a member? Learn more today.