Indiana and Northwestern Dominate Big Ten Women’s Soccer Weekly Awards

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In a standout week for Big Ten women’s soccer, Indiana and Northwestern players took home the conference’s top weekly honors, with freshmen and seniors alike making significant contributions to their teams' successes.

Offensive and Freshman Player of the Week: Layla Sirdah, Indiana

Indiana University’s freshman forward, Layla Sirdah, earned dual honors as both the Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week. Hailing from Duluth, Georgia, and pursuing a major in Interior Design, Sirdah has quickly made her mark on the field. In Indiana's dominant victories over Evansville (5-0) and Lawrence University (9-0), Sirdah was instrumental, contributing a total of five goals and two assists across both games.

In the match against Lawrence, she tied the program record for most points in a single match with four goals and an assist, matching the record set for most goals (9) and points (25) in a game since 1998 against IUPUI. She also netted the game-winning goal just five minutes into the game against Evansville and added two assists, solidifying her status as a rising star in the Big Ten.

Currently, Sirdah ranks second in the Big Ten for both points (17) and goals (6), showcasing her offensive prowess. This marks the first time an Indiana player has received the Offensive Player of the Week accolade since Paige Webber in September 2023 and the Freshman of the Week honor since Piper Coffield in October 2023.

Defensive Player of the Week: Emma Phillips, Northwestern

On the defensive side, Northwestern's Emma Phillips took home the Defensive Player of the Week award for her outstanding performance. A senior from Munster, Indiana, majoring in Communication Studies, Phillips was the anchor of Northwestern’s back line, leading her team to consecutive shutouts against Illinois State (4-0) and No. 21 Virginia Tech (1-0).

Phillips not only played a critical role in the defense but also assisted on the game-winning goal against Virginia Tech. She helped limit Virginia Tech to their season-lows in both shots (7) and shots on goal (3). Phillips played all 90 minutes in both matches and contributed to a Wildcats defense that has been formidable all season, allowing just 1.57 shots on goal per game and 0.71 goals per game. This is the first time a Northwestern player has been named Defensive Player of the Week since Caterina Regazzoni in September 2023.

Goalkeeper of the Week: Reiley Fitzpatrick, Northwestern

Joining Phillips among the Big Ten honorees is Northwestern’s goalkeeper, Reiley Fitzpatrick, who was named Goalkeeper of the Week. The junior from Ashburn, Virginia, remains undeclared in her major but has declared herself as a formidable presence between the posts. Fitzpatrick earned back-to-back clean sheets in wins over Illinois State and No. 21 Virginia Tech, recording two saves against Illinois State and three against Virginia Tech.

Fitzpatrick has recorded shutouts in four of the last five matches for Northwestern, underscoring her consistency and skill. This is her first Goalkeeper of the Week honor since Mia Raben achieved the same accolade for Northwestern in September 2022.

Weekly Big Ten Honors Showcase Depth of Talent

The awards underscore the depth of talent across the Big Ten, with both Indiana and Northwestern making strong showings this season. These weekly recognitions reflect not only individual brilliance but also strategic team play, with each of these athletes contributing significantly to their teams' overall success.

As the season progresses, all eyes will be on these players to see how they continue to perform and help their teams push for higher accolades in the conference and beyond.