SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG forward Steven Hernandez and Mercer goalkeeper Trevor McMullen have been named the Southern Conference men’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition Aug. 30 to Sept. 5.
 
Hernandez led the Spartans on offense in UNCG’s lone match this week, recording three goals and tallying six points in the Spartans’ 5-1 win over Coastal Carolina on Friday night. The freshman scored his first collegiate goal in the 19th minute to crack open the scoring vault for UNCG before netting two more goals in the 53rd and 71st minutes to extend the Spartans’ lead to 4-1. The Winston-Salem, North Carolina, native is the first Spartan to score a hat trick since Theo Collomb’s three goals against VMI on Sept. 25, 2021, and is just the third Spartan to do so under UNCG head coach Chris Rich.
 
UNCG’s 3-0 start is its best since opening the 2013 season with the same record. Last week, UNCG received a No. 7 ranking in the United Soccer Coaches South Region Poll and received votes in the national poll. The Spartans are also ranked No. 26 in the College Soccer News Poll.
 
McMullen played all 180 minutes inside the net for Mercer’s two games against ACC opponents last week. The Bears went 1-0-1, earning a 1-1 draw against NC State on Friday, Sept. 2, and clinching a 3-2 win over Virginia Tech on Monday, Sept. 5. The Decatur, Georgia, native registered two saves in the game against the Wolfpack before recording four stops against 21 shots in the victory over the Hokies to grab his second win of the 2022 campaign.
 
The Bears' victory over Virginia Tech marked the third straight game that Mercer faced an opponent that had received votes in College Soccer News' national ranking poll (Georgia State, NC State and Virginia Tech).
 
UNCG (3-0) will host High Point on Tuesday, Sept. 6, before traveling to Richmond, Virginia, on Saturday, Sept. 10, for a nonconference match against VCU. Mercer (2-0-2) will travel to play South Florida on Friday, Sept. 9, and will host FGCU on Sunday, Sept. 11.
 
Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Sebastian Reventlow-Mourier (ETSU), Callum Holland (Furman), Dylan Gaither (Mercer) and Nikolai Rojel (Wofford).
 
Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Dominic Foster (ETSU), Slade Starnes (Furman), Emmanuel Hagan (UNCG) and Paul Jones (Wofford).
 
2022 SoCon Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30       Kieran Richards, Sr., F, ETSU
Sept. 6       Steven Hernandez, Fr., F, UNCG
 
2022 SoCon Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week
Aug. 30       Cole Hunter, R-Sr., GK, ETSU
Sept. 6        Trevor McMullen, Jr., GK, Mercer