LEXINGTON, Ky. — The NCAA leader in points and the current Conference USA Offensive Player of the Week, Kentucky men’s soccer sophomore Tyler Riggs has been named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week, it was announced.
Riggs, who in stats released by the NCAA on Tuesday morning ranks No. 1 in college soccer with 20 total points and second in the NCAA with eight goals, was selected as one of 11 players in the nation to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week. The honor is the second national accolade of the week for Riggs and the third overall weekly honor, also earning C-USA Offensive Player of the Week and College Soccer News National Team of the Week honors.
A native of Louisville, Ky., Riggs totaled three goals during UK’s two-game conquest of the 2011 Gamecock Classic, including drilling two goals during a 5-1 shellacking of No. 15 Brown in the Gamecock Classic Championship game on Sunday. Riggs also added the first goal of the game in UK’s win over High Point on Friday night, an upstart High Point club that won 16 games a year ago.
On the year in the NCAA stats, Riggs ranks first in total points (20), second in total goals (eight), ninth in total assists (four) and No. 10 in points per game (2.22). Junior Matt Lodge ranks No. 4 in the NCAA in total points (17), seventh in total goals (seven), third in total assists (five) and 24th in points per game (1.89). Junior midfielder Charles Pettys leads the nation in assists (six), while senior C.J. Tappel owns four assists to rank ninth in the NCAA.
No. 21 Kentucky (6-2-0) faces a monumental clash on Wednesday, entering the game with No. 3 Creighton ranked second in the NCAA in total goals (22), against a Jays team that ranks first in fewest goals allowed (zero). Creighton is the lone team in the nation to not allow a goal in 2011, while UK is on pace to threaten the school record of 49 goals set in 22 games in 1995. UK will face the Jays at 8 p.m. ET at Morrison Stadium on Wednesday, with fans able to follow the game.
Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week
GK: Andrew Wolverton, Penn State
D: Matt Hedges, North Carolina
D: Andrew Wenger, Duke
M: Shadow Sebule, West Virginia
M: Ian Christianson, Georgetown
M: John Melcher, Air Force
F: Garrett Getschow, Air Force
F: Chandler Hoffman, UCLA
F: Casey Townsen, Maryland
F: Tyler Riggs, Kentucky
F: Ivan Stanisavljevic, UIC
Player of the Week: Ivan Stanisavljevic, UIC
RIGGS NAMED GAMECOCK CLASSIC OFFENSIVE MVP
After his three-game performance during the two wins at the 2011 Gamecock Classic, Kentucky sophomore Tyler Riggs has been named Offensive MVP in a selection of the participating coaches, it was announced.
Riggs was one of four UK players named to the Gamecock Classic All-Tournament Team, as junior forward Matt Lodge, senior midfielder Josh McCrary and senior defender/midfielder Brad Walker were also selected to the team.
The Wildcats were led offensively by Riggs’ three goals during the weekend, including two goals in UK’s 5-1 beatdown of No. 15 Brown on Sunday and the first goal of the game in Friday’s win over High Point.
A native of Rossington, England, Lodge totaled one goal and two assists during UK’s seven-goal outburst in the two games, firing a team-high 12 shots, including the golden goal in overtime on Friday vs. High Point.
McCrary netted his first goal of the season to give UK a 2-0 lead over Brown, while stabilizing the Wildcats in the midfield throughout the weekend.
Walker, a native of Sydney, Australia, moved into a defensive midfield post for the weekend, with UK starting defensive midfielder Cameron Wilder battling an injury. Walker, a center back defender by nature, played great in the midfield, logging all 182 minutes with one shot attempt, while helping UK hold the opposition to two goals.
Gamecock Classic Standings:
Kentucky: 2-0-0
Brown: 1-1-0 (wins tie breaker over South Carolina with 2-0 win on Friday)
South Carolina: 1-1-0
High Point: 0-2-0
All-Tournament Team:
Tyler Riggs, Forward, Kentucky
Matt Lodge, Forward, Kentucky
Josh McCrary, Midfielder, Kentucky
Brad Walker, Defender, Kentucky
T.J. Popolizio, Forward, Brown
Alex Markes, Defender, Brown
Sean Rosa, Forward, Brown
Braeden Troyer, Midfielder, South Carolina
Mike Mangotic, Defender/Forward, South Carolina
Michael Chesler, Goalkeeper, High Point
Adam Sewell, Midfielder, High Point
Offensive MVP: Tyler Riggs, Kentucky
Defensive MVP: Alex Markes, Brown
SUPPORT `TOGETHER WE CAN’ FOOD DRIVE
Fans who attend No. 21 Kentucky’s match with Evansville on Friday at 7 p.m. ET at the UK Soccer Complex can receive free admission by bringing in at least five cans to support God’s Pantry and the Southeastern Conference and UK Athletics “Together We Can” food drive.
Canned food was collected at the UK vs. Auburn volleyball game at Memorial Coliseum Sept. 16. In addition to the soccer game, fans can bring cans to the football game vs. Florida on Saturday at Commonwealth Stadium.
Food collection bins will be located at the main entrance of the UK Soccer Complex on Friday. Student-athlete volunteers will work the entrance and be able to answer any questions that fans may have. Monetary donations will be accepted, as well.
For the football game, student-athletes will be assigned a collection bucket and circulate through designated areas of the Commonwealth Stadium parking lot to collect monetary donations from tailgaters.
