SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG’s JC Ngando and Niclas Wild have been named the Southern Conference men’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition Oct. 19-25.
 
Ngando recorded four assists in two of the Spartans’ home contests last week, assisting on one goal in UNCG’s 7-1 nonconference win over USC Upstate on Tuesday before adding a career-best three assists in the Spartans’ 3-0 conference victory over Wofford on Saturday. In the match against the Spartans, the freshman midfielder connected with UNCG’s Jack Birch on a go ahead pass for a goal, extending UNCG’s lead to 5-1 in the 67^th minute. In the Spartans’ conference win over the Terriers, Ngando assisted on all three goals, including goals in the 10^th minute, 33^rd minute, and 73^rd minute to grab the win and improve UNCG’s record to 4-1 in SoCon play. The Paris, France, native is currently tied for the team lead in assists with seven, and was also named to the College Soccer News Team of the Week following the Spartans' pair of victories.
 
Wild secured his eighth shutout of the season in the Spartans’ victory over Wofford and ended the week with three total saves and a scoreless goal streak of over 135 minutes. The sophomore goalkeeper from Decatur, Georgia, tallied two saves in the win against USC Upstate, before recording one in UNCG’s victory over the Terriers.
 
The 25^th-ranked Spartans (11-3-1, 4-1 SoCon) travel to Farmville, Virginia, for a nonconference match against Longwood on Tuesday, Oct. 26, at 6 p.m., before traveling to Johnson City, Tennessee, on Saturday, Oct. 30, for their final conference match against ETSU (4-6-3, 1-2-2 SoCon) at 7 p.m.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Jake Raine (Furman), Trevor Martineau (Mercer) and Mitchell Myers (Wofford).
 
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Ben Roberts (Furman) and Trevor McMullen (Mercer).
 
2021 SoCon Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31       Dylan Gaither, Sr., F, Mercer
Sept. 7        Niccolo Dagnoni, Sr., F, Belmont
Sept. 14      Liam O’Brien, Sr., F, Belmont
Sept. 21      Kadeem Agard, Fr., F, Mercer        
Sept. 28      Theo Collomb, So., F, UNCG
Oct. 5         Tarik Pannholzer, So., F/M, ETSU
Oct. 12       Tarik Pannholzer, So., F/M, ETSU
Oct. 19       AJ Chastonay, So., MF, Belmont
Oct. 26       JC Ngando, Fr., MF, UNCG
 
2021 SoCon Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 31       Brant Zulauf, R-So., GK, Mercer
Sept. 7        Drew Romig, Sr., GK, Belmont
Sept. 14     Joshua Old, Jr., GK, Wofford
Sept. 21     Trevor McMullen, So., GK, Mercer
Sept. 28      Emmanuel Hagan, Fr., D, UNCG
Oct. 5         Marco Milanese, Sr., D, UNCG 
Oct. 12       Drew Romig, Sr., GK, Belmont
Oct. 19       Case Cox, So., D, Belmont
Oct. 26       Niclas Wild, So., GK, UNCG