Valpo women’s soccer freshman goalkeeper Nikki Coryell (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) earned Defensive Player of the Week accolades from the Missouri Valley Conference Tuesday, while fellow rookie Kelsie James (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) picked up her second Freshman of the Week accolade in as many weeks.

Coryell received her first weekly honor in the Brown and Gold after posting her first career clean sheet in a non-conference matchup against UNI last Wednesday, making five saves to secure the shutout against the Panthers. She made five saves as well in a one-goal loss to DePaul to close non-conference play, facing a Blue Demons squad which was selected second in the Big East Midwest Division preseason poll. Coryell has posted a 0.93 GAA and an .813 save percentage through her first three collegiate matches.

Meanwhile, James repeated as the conference’s Freshman of the Week as she notched her second goal of the season in her third career match, slotting home a penalty against DePaul in the 85th minute which equalized the match at that point, 1-1. James also drew the foul which led to the penalty kick. James is the first Valpo freshman to score twice in her rookie season's first three matches since Sarah Jewell found the back of the net twice in the first three fixtures of the 2006 campaign.

Through two weeks of action, James has already picked up two Freshman of the Week honors after Valpo had just one Newcomer/Freshman of the Week honoree in its first three seasons as a conference member. Coryell is the third different Valpo goalkeeper and fourth Valpo player in all to receive Defensive Player of the Week accolades.