AMERICAN SOUTHWEST CONFERENCE MEN’S SOCCER PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Games: September 16-22, 2025
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Junior Lopez, F, So., East Texas Baptist
East Texas Baptist sophomore forward Junior Lopez (Lufkin, Texas) collected his first three goals of the year in a 2-0 week for ETBU as the Tigers scored eight goals. Lopez had two goals against Austin College and one versus Centenary. In the win over Austin College, he netted the game winning goal in the 89th minute for the 3-2 win. His first goal of the game came in the 54th minute for a 1-0 lead. Against Centenary, he produced the teams first goal in the 12th minute in the 5-0 win. Overall, he took eight shots with seven on goal scoring three of them.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Dylan Vadnais, D, Sr., Mary Hardin-Baylor
Mary Hardin-Baylor senior defender Dylan Vadnais (Comfort, Texas) played all 90 minutes against Concordia TX, leading a backfield that held the Tornados to just two shots on goal. He added 37 minutes in the win against McMurry, helping the Cru give up only five shots with one goal. Vadnais added a couple of blocked shots near the net as well.
OTHER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES
Offensive
Hardin-Simmons sophomore forward James Webb (Waco, Texas) pushed the Cowboy attack in two games against nationally ranked teams. The Cowboys dropped both games to No. 4 Trinity and No. 20 Christopher Newport by a final score of 2-0. Hardin-Simmons was able to keep the pressure on the two best teams they have played all season thanks to Webb's efforts at forward.
Mary Hardin-Baylor senior defender Peyton Hoyt (Fort Collins, Colorado) played 81 minutes in the match against Concordia TX on Thursday, scoring the go-ahead goal in the 24th minute off an assist from Dylan Vadnais. This score jump-started the first three-goal game of the week for the Cru. In Saturday's 3-1 win against McMurry, Peyton totaled 62 minutes on the field, adding an assist on the third goal of the match.
Defensive
East Texas Baptist sophomore goal keeper Ryan Lord (Fate, Texas) produced his second shutout of the year and went 2-0-0 on the week. He had eight saves, with five vs. Centenary in the 5-0 win, and three vs. Austin College. In the win over Centenary, he had saves in the 12th minute, right after ETBU scored, and in the 24th minute to preserve the 1-0 lead. ETBU scored in the 29th min for a 2-0 halftime lead. He then posted three saves in the second half.
Hardin-Simmons sophomore defender Trace Binyon (Frisco, Texas) did not leave the field in two matches last weekend for the Cowboys, going down to the No. 4 Trinity Tigers and the No. 20 Christopher Newport Captains. Binyon helped the Cowboy defense hold both the Tigers and the Captains to two goals in each game, keeping Hardin-Simmons within striking distance of two of the nation's best men's soccer teams.