SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Mercer midfielder Barzee Blama and ETSU defender Nico Kross have been named the Southern Conference men’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week, respectively, for all competition Aug. 24-28.? 

Blama scored two goals in his first two career games for the Bears. The freshman from Snellville, Georgia, played 92 minutes across both contests this week. In Thursday’s 6-1 setback against Cal State Fullerton, Blama scored Mercer’s first goal of the season in the 85th minute off a penalty kick. Against Southern Indiana on Sunday, he won a jump ball against Southern Indiana’s goalkeeper and fired a shot into the back of the net in the 11th minute, setting the stage for a 2-0 Bears victory.? 

Kross led the Bucs in the back line during their first two games of the season by playing all 180 minutes. The freshman from Heidenheim, Germany, helped the Bucs get a clean sheet in the ETSU’s 1-0 season-opening win over Georgia Southern on Thursday. Kross then played a key role in limiting 3rd-ranked Kentucky to only three total shots as the Wildcats defeated the Bucs, 1-0, on Monday. 

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Mercer (1-1-0) travels to Tampa, Florida, to play South Florida on Friday, Sept. 1, before returning home to Macon, Georgia, on Sept. 5, for a match against Jacksonville. ETSU (1-1-0) welcomes North Carolina to Johnson City, Tennessee, on Friday, Sept. 1, before hosting USC Upstate on Tuesday, Sept. 5. 
 

Also nominated for offensive player of the week: Connor Dowler (Furman), Gabriel Ramos (ETSU) 
 

Also nominated for defensive player of the week: Sai Brown (Mercer), Cameron Victor (Wofford) 

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2022 SoCon Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week 

Aug. 29 Barzee Blama, Fr., F, Mercer  

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2022 SoCon Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week 

Aug. 29 Nico Kross, Fr., D, ETSU