DALLAS – New Mexico State’s Loma McNeese, UTEP’s Kaila Hudson and FIU’s Ithaisa Vinoly earned Conference USA Women’s Soccer Player of the Week honors, presented by Blenders Eyewear.
 
McNeese garners her second-straight Offensive Player of the Week award after she recorded the first brace by an Aggie since Aug. 29, 2021, to lead NM State (8-5-1, 5-0-0 CUSA) to its fifth-straight win – a 2-0 decision over Jacksonville State – on Sunday.
 
Hudson picked up Defensive Player of the Week recognition after anchoring a Miner back line that posted its third shutout of the season in a 1-0 triumph over WKU on Saturday for UTEP’s (2-10-2, 1-3-1 CUSA) first win in league play of the year.
 
Vinoly nabbed her second Goalkeeper of the Week title following a standout performance in net during FIU’s (7-3-3, 2-0-2 CUSA) scoreless draw with Liberty on Saturday. It marked her sixth clean sheet of the season.
 
Offensive Player of the Week – Loma McNeese, NM State – Senior – Sherwood, Ore.
The Preseason Offensive Player of the Year got the scoring underway in the 51^st minute by converting the first penalty kick goal of her career. Just over a minute later, she doubled her tally after receiving a long ball from Ariana Leamons, racing past her defender and slotting one into the far-right side of the goal. McNeese has three goals and four assists in CUSA play for a league-leading 11 points.
 
Defensive Player of the Week – Kaila Hudson, UTEP – Sophomore – Houston, Texas
After a recent return to form following an injury to start the season, Hudson dazzled in her second-straight start, helping the Miners shutout WKU. She had four one-on-one tackles as the right back and made a key clearance in crunch time of the match to help seal the win. Hudson also joined in on the attack for the Miners, making five attacking third entries down the right flank to cause trouble for the WKU defense and create chances for her teammates.
 
Goalkeeper of the Week – Ithaisa Vinoly, FIU – Graduate – Canary Islands, Spain
With both teams jockeying for second place in the league table, Vinoly logged six saves in a scoreless draw with Liberty for her sixth clean sheet of the season. She stopped three shots in each half, including a trio of chances for the Lady Flames over an eight-minute span early in the second half. In conference action, Vinoly leads all CUSA keepers in goals-against average (.500) and save percentage (.867).
 
2023 CUSA Offensive Players of the Week
A22      Camryn Davis, Jax State
A29      Nikole Solis, FIU
S5        Allison Hansford, Liberty
S12      Kennedy Baquero, Sam Houston
S19      Katie Erwin, WKU
S26      Ava Goodman, Liberty
O3       Loma McNeese, NM State
O10     Loma McNeese, NM State
 
2023 CUSA Defensive Players of the Week
A22      Caroline Manley, MTSU
A29      Rebekah Earnest, Liberty
S5        Saydie Holland, Liberty
S12      Elise Graf, Liberty
S19      Andrea Nugent, Sam Houston
S26      Lena James, Liberty
O3       Megan Ormson, NM State
O10     Kaila Hudson, UTEP
 
2023 CUSA Goalkeepers of the Week
A22      Ainsley Leja, Liberty
A29      Ainsley Leja, Liberty
S5        Ainsley Leja, Liberty
S12      Ithaisa Vinoly, FIU
S19      Savannah Hall, Sam Houston
S26      Ainsley Leja, Liberty
O3       Bailey Dean, Jax State
O10     Ithaisa Vinoly, FIU