CINCINNATI - Ashley Barron, a freshman on the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team, has been selected as this week's American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced today. Barron, a stalwart on the back line for the Bearcats, helped UC to a 1-1-0 record on the weekend with the 1-0 win Sunday over UCF guaranteeing the Bearcats a home playoff match later this week. Barron also netted the game-winner against the Knights to further her cause for the defensive award.
// BIG BARRON
In the 49' Sunday, UC earned a free-kick with Bri Costigan sending a pass into the box where Barron ran onto it and headed the ball home for what would be the game-winner against UCF. The goal was the first of Barron's collegiate career and also stood as her first collegiate points. A standout on the backline, Barron started both matches against the Florida school's and helped the Bearacts shutout the Knights to record the seventh clean sheet of 2019 as well. With the victory on Barron's header, the Bearcats will finish either third or fourth in the AAC standings, meaning they will host a conference playoff match for the first time in AAC history (since 2013) and just the second time in program history (1995 Conference USA First Round)
// RUNNING TOTALS
With Barron's selection this week, UC has garnered 10 awards from the AAC in 2019 with Barron earning the defensive honor twice after first collecting the accolade September 30. To date, Barron joins Madison Less (August 26 & September 16) as two-time award major award winners this season after Less twice was named the goalkeeper of the week. Additionally, Less (2x), Han Tang (2x), Vanessa DiNardo and Camryn Hartman each have been named to the Honor Roll to round out this year's honorees. Overall, since the start of the 2013 season (the first year of AAC play), 27 different Bearcats have accumulated a total of 83 awards, including 46 Honor Roll, 7 offensive, 18 defensive, 9 goalkeeper and 3 rookie accolades.
// NEXT UP
The regular-season finale awaits the Bearcats Thursday as the Pirates of ECU will come to town for an 8 p.m. AAC match at Gettler Stadium. With a victory, UC will secure its most single-season AAC wins (six) and earn the #3 seed in the tournament with 18 points, the most it has scored in AAC history.
// 2019 AAC Weekly Awards (10)
Goalkeeper of the Week (2)
Madison Less • Aug. 26 & Sept. 16
Defensive Player of the Week (2)
Ashley Barron • Sept. 30 & Oct. 28
Honor Roll (6)
Vanessa DiNardo • Aug. 26
Camryn Hartman • Sept. 30
Madison Less • Sept. 23 & Sept. 30
Han Tang • Sept. 16 & Oct. 14
Barron Named AAC Defensive Player of the Week
Ashley Barron, a freshman on the University of Cincinnati women's soccer team, has been selected as this week's American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced today.
