SPARTANBURG, S.C. – ETSU redshirt senior forward Joao Ramalho has been named the Southern Conference men’s soccer player of the week for all competition from Oct. 24-30 after scoring a pair of goals in the Bucs’ regular-season finale. The selection is made by the league office and is the final one of the season.

Ramalho scored twice in the Bucs’ 3-2 win at Mercer on Saturday, notching the tying goal in the 77th minute and scoring the game-winner with just 2:16 left in the contest. With the Bears leading ETSU by just one point in the SoCon standings entering the contest, the game was a de facto regular-season title match, with the Bucs emerging with their first SoCon title and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming SoCon Men’s Soccer Championship.

The weekly award the third of Ramalho’s career and his first since 2014, when the Monte Santo, Brazil, native was named the SoCon Player of the Year. He also earned a spot on the TopDrawerSoccer.com Team of the Week.

The Bucs (11-4-2, 7-1-2 SoCon) earned a bye into the SoCon semifinals on Nov. 10 at UNCG Soccer Stadium in Greensboro, North Carolina, and await either No. 4 seed UNCG (10-6-2, 6-4-0) or No. 5 seed Furman (6-8-3, 2-6-2). The Spartans and Paladins play a first-round match Nov. 5 in Greensboro.

Also nominated: Roberto Arteaga (Mercer) and Matthew Aurednik (Wofford).

2016 SoCon Men’s Soccer Players of the Week
Aug. 30 Josiah Baker, So., F, Furman
Sept. 6 Cameron Woodfin, Jr., MF, ETSU
Sept. 13 Jonathan Smith, So., GK, Furman
Sept. 20 Jonny Sutherland, So., GK, ETSU
Sept. 27 Lewis Hawke, Sr., F, Furman
Oct. 4 Jonny Sutherland, So., GK, ETSU
Oct. 11 Lucas Altman, Fr., F, Wofford
Oct. 18 Fletcher Ekern, Jr., F, ETSU
Oct. 25 Jordan Duru, Sr., MF, Mercer
Nov. 1 Joao Ramalho, R-Sr., F, ETSU

-www.SoConSports.com-