IRVING, Texas – The American Athletic Conference has announced the winners of the league’s weekly men’s soccer honors, for the week ending Sunday, October 3.
Offensive Player of the Week
Alex Meinhard * So. * F * Tulsa
Meinhard came up in the clutch for No. 7/4 Tulsa in a 2-0-0 week for the top-ranked squad in the conference, tying for The American lead with five points. Meinhard found two goals, including one match-winner, and added a primary assist for the Golden Hurricane. In a thriller with No. 12/6 SMU on Sept. 29, Meinhard attempted a team-high four shots (three on goal) and tallied the tying goal at 34:53 to make it 1-1 before finding the winner with just seven seconds remaining at 109:53 to send the home crowd into a frenzy with a 2-1 comeback win. Meinhard served the final pass to Chase Bromstedt on Bromstedt’s first goal of the season in a 4-0 Tulsa win over South Florida on Oct. 3.
Defensive Player of the Week
Artur De Luca * Sr. * M/D * Memphis
De Luca turned in two impressive shifts on the Memphis back line in a 2-0-0 week, guiding the Tigers to a pair of shutouts. Memphis held Temple to just three shots on goal in a 2-0 clean sheet on the road on Sept. 29. The Tigers followed that up with their most impressive performance of the season to date, blanking UCF 3-0 in Orlando on Oct. 3. De Luca scored his first two goals of 2021 in the match with the Knights, nailing the match-winner at 35:57 and chipping in an insurance goal at 58:50.
Goalkeeper of the Week
Colin Welsh * Fr. * GK * Memphis
Welsh was spectacular in two road starts for Memphis during an undefeated week, posting two solo shutouts in huge victories for the Tigers. Welsh opened the week with three saves in a 2-0 clean sheet at Temple on Sept. 29. In the biggest win of the season for Memphis, Welsh stopped seven shots from defending American champion UCF in a 3-0 win on Oct. 3.
Rookie of the Week
Kyran Chambron Pinho * Fr. * D * SMU
Chambron Pinho played a key role in a 1-1-0 week for No. 12/6 SMU that featured a hard-luck 2-1 home loss at the hands of No. 7/4 Tulsa in double overtime. Chambron Pinho notched one shot on goal in 33 minutes of action during the back and forth collision with Tulsa on Sept. 29. Chambron Pinho played 70 minutes with two shot attempts on goal and helped hold Temple to one shot on goal in a 1-0 shutout on Oct. 3.
Weekly Honor Roll
Maxi Galizzi * Sr. * F * Memphis
Tied for the conference lead with five points (one goal, three assists) in two road wins for Memphis; scored an insurance goal at 19:19 in a 2-0 win at Temple on Sept. 29 and assisted on all three Tiger goals in a 3-0 upset of UCF on Oct. 3
Gabriel Costa * Sr. * M * SMU
Recorded one goal and one assist for No. 12/6 SMU in a 1-1-0 split week for the Mustangs; served the primary assist on the lone SMU goal at 15:50 in a 2-1 loss to No. 7/4 Tulsa on Sept. 29 and scored the match-winner at 66:37 to defeat Temple 1-0 on Oct. 3
Chase Bromstedt * Gr. * M * Tulsa
Went the distance for No. 7/4 Tulsa and attempted two shots in a 2-1 win over No. 7/4 SMU in double overtime on Sept. 29; logged first goal of the season at 58:29 as part of a 4-0 shutout of South Florida on Oct. 3
Alex Lopez * Fr. * GK * Tulsa
Shined in net with a 2-0 mark, seven saves and a shutout in an unbeaten week for No. 7/4 Tulsa; stopped three shots in a 2-1 win over No. 12/6 SMU on Sept. 29 and logged four saves in a combined clean sheet against South Florida on Oct. 3