KANSAS - For the first time since the 2020 season, Ottawa men's soccer swept the KCAC Player of the Week honors, as Alex Neri claimed his second weekly nod of the season and Cale Scott became the first player in Ottawa University history to record three consecutive weekly acknowledgments. Both selections came as little surprise following no. Ottawa's comprehensive 3-0 upset of no. 1 Oklahoma Wesleyan and 5-1 win at Tabor College. The accolades, announced by the league office today and presented by Athletic Solutions reflects performances from Sept. 21-27 among voting of conference sports information directors.

For Neri, his second nod of the season comes as he recorded four saves and demonstrated outstanding control in the defensive third against the Eagles, extending his shutout streak to 366:16 against Tabor before a fluke goal against the run of play. He immediately reestablished his shutout string, recording a pair of saves over the next 52:21 before yielding to Luca Fofonka for the final 17:40 of the contest. On the season, he has posted a 7-0 1 record with a goals-against average of 0.82 spread across 657:20. The graduate student also boasts four shutouts on the season with a save percentage of .778.

Joining Neri on the awards list for the week, Scott was simply dominant in both contests on the week, scoring three goals and adding three assists. His first goal of the week proved to be the gamewinner - his fourth of the year - for Ottawa against Oklahoma Wesleyan, a 20th-minute penalty kick sent top shelf. He added a pair of assists in the second half as well for Ottawa to close out the win. Against Tabor, he again opened the scoring for the Braves before assisting Slobodan Novicevic on the gamewinner, adding a second-half goal, again from the penalty spot. The redshirt junior sits just three goals shy of his career best with 10 on the season, and he also sits atop the scoring sheet alongside Simon Kindt and Antonio Natalucci for Ottawa with four assists.

The previous pairing to sweep the KCAC Player of the Week honors was current assistant coach Cain Scott (offensive) and Gage Powers (defensive).

KCAC Defensive Player of the Week

Week 1 - Alex Neri, Ottawa University
Week 2 - Alvaro Marchal, McPherson College
Week 3 - Marko Radic, Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Week 4 - Ben Socgnamillo, Friends University
Week 5 - Alex Neri, Ottawa University 

KCAC Offensive Player of the Week

Week 1 - Cristobal Schenfeld, Kansas Wesleyan University
Week 2 - Richard Livingston, Bethany College
Week 3 - Cale Scott, Ottawa University
Week 4 - Cale Scott, Ottawa University
Week 5 - Cale Scott, Ottawa University

ABOUT THE KANSAS COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and sponsors 29 varsity sports. Founded in 1890, the KCAC is the second oldest intercollegiate athletic conference in the country. As the conference home to 14 member institutions, the KCAC emphasizes commitment, cooperation, high achievement, and working towards a common goal in the act of competition. To keep up with the latest conference news, follow the KCAC on Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram using the handle @kcacsports.

ABOUT ATHLETIC SOLUTIONS
Based in Kansas City, Kansas, Athletic Solutions is a national leader in NIL fan engagement and e-commerce technology, collaborating with colleges and universities to bring NIL Locker Rooms to life. Their platform simplifies NIL opportunities, providing student-athletes with the tools and exposure needed to thrive in the evolving landscape of college athletics.