The men’s college soccer player of the week is Ethan Ballek, a senior midfielder at South Carolina who combined quality with quantity over two matches.

MORE: Men’s Division I Scoreboard

It started with a 5-1 rout of Winthrop, where the 2025 MLS Draft pick needed just 43 minutes to score two and assist one. That carried over into a clash with No. 19 UNC Greensboro, where Ballek scored the equalizer and assisted the game-winner to supercharge a 2-1 upset victory.

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Player of the Week: Ethan Ballek, South Carolina

Men’s Team of the Week: September 8-14

GK: Ivan Horvat, Furman - The Paladins survived a grueling road trip in undefeated fashion thanks to Horvat, who saved eight in a 0-0 draw with No. 5 Virginia Tech, then added another six stops in a 4-1 blowout of No. 8 Gardner-Webb.

D: Jem Hewlett, UCF - In an outstanding two-way performance, the freshman defender added two goals on the receiving end of set-pieces and played all 90 in a 2-0 clean sheet win.

D: Fabian Overkamp, Robert Morris - Detroit Mercy had no answer for Overkamp on set pieces as the senior scored twice and assisted another in a lopsided 4-0 result.

D: Kelly Cooper, Army - The towering junior center back was a force for the Knights, leading a 2-0 defeat of Villanova and scoring the lone goal to top Boston University 1-0.

M: Ethan Ballek, South Carolina - Ballek scored three and assisted twice in two South Carolina wins.

M: Alex Ruiz, Kentucky - Ruiz had a hat trick and an assist in a 4-0 win over Detroit Mercy, then played 87 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Bowling Green. 

M: Edouard Nys, UIC - Continuing an incredible start to the year, Nys dominated Western Illinois with two goals and two assists to lead a thrilling 5-3 victory.

M: Daniel D'Ippolito, Fordham - Scoring one and assisting three, the nationally regarded talent had a hand in all four goals the Rams managed in a 3-0 defeat of Manhattan and a 1-1 tie with Rhode Island. 

F: Diego Lopez-Rosales, Loyola Marymount - The Lions enjoyed a record-breaking 9-2 victory over Cal State Fullerton, and Lopez-Rosales played a vital role with three goals and an assist.

F: Laurie Goddard, Hofstra - The senior attacker was everywhere Hofstra needed with the lone goal to defeat Princeton, then another two to pace a smooth 3-0 win over Stony Brook.

F: Fernando Pirry, Wisconsin-Milwaukee - Pirry scored four goals in 45 minutes as Milwaukee routed Chicago State 9-1.

Honorable Mention: GK Alessandro Bizzini (New Haven), D Riley Moloney (NC State), D Bjorn Nikolajewski (St. John's), D Marcos Soria (Purdue Fort Wayne), M Jefferson Amaya (High Point), M Cooper Forcellini (Xavier), M Devin Shepherd (Evansville), M Til Kauschke (Seton Hall), F Ricardo Louis (Georgia Southern), F Andreas Savva (Harvard), F Eidur Baldvinsson (Dartmouth)

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