ARLINGTON, Texas – Grand Canyon’s Bright Nutornutsi, Utah Tech’s Julian Herrera and Grand Canyon’s Leon Schmidt have been named the TicketSmarter Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Men’s Soccer Offensive Player, Defensive Player and Goalkeeper of the Week, for the match week ending on Monday, Sept. 18.
 
Nutornutsi, a sophomore forward, tallied a conference-high five points across two starts for 2-0 Grand Canyon, leading the league with two goals and chipping in an assist. Nutornutsi connected at 86:34 and added a second score just 20 seconds later to cement a 3-0 GCU victory against UC Santa Barbara on Sept. 12. Nutornutsi contributed the primary assist on the match-winning goal in the eighth minute of a 1-0 shutout of No. 22 San Diego on Sept. 16.
 
Herrera, a senior defender, was a key contributor to the Utah Tech backline in a 1-1 homestand. Herrera scored the tying goal in the 27th minute of an eventual 2-1 win over Gonzaga on Sept. 17, helping hold the Bulldogs to three total shots on goal during the victory.
 
Schmidt, a junior goalkeeper, captured a third straight conference weekly award after picking up a pair of solo shutouts for unbeaten GCU. Schmidt was credited with seven saves in a 3-0 clean sheet against UCSB on Sept. 12 and added three stops in a 1-0 victory over No. 22 San Diego on Sept. 16. Schmidt is the conference leader in shutouts (3), saves (40) and saves per match (5.71) this season as of Sept. 19.
 
2023 TicketSmarter WAC Men’s Soccer Weekly Awards
 
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Bright Nutornutsi, So., F, Grand Canyon (Sept. 19)
Luis Mueller, Sr., F, California Baptist (Sept. 12)
James Morris, Sr., F, Seattle U (Sept. 5)
Angel Iniguez, So., MF, San José State (Aug. 29)
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Julian Herrera, Sr., D, Utah Tech (Sept. 19)
Clayton Duarte, Jr., D/MF, Grand Canyon (Sept. 12)
Jaden Manetta, Jr., D, Seattle U (Sept. 5)
AJ Ciampini, So., D, Utah Tech (Aug. 29)
 
GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Leon Schmidt, Jr., Grand Canyon (Sept. 19)
Leon Schmidt, Jr., Grand Canyon (Sept. 12)
Leon Schmidt, Jr., Grand Canyon (Sept. 5)
Stockton Short, So., Utah Tech (Aug. 29)