Opdenaker, Walleekendeh Earn National Weekly Awards From USCAA

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine swept the United States Collegiate Athletic Association men's soccer weekly awards on Tuesday as senior Bill Walleekendeh (Chester, Pa./Chester) was named player of  the week and sophomore Joe Opdenaker (Lenni, Pa./The Christian Academy) claimed goalkeeper of the week honors. The duo also earned the same awards from the Penn State University Athletic Conference.

Opdenaker, who landed the PSUAC goalie award for the second time in three weeks this season, went 3-0 and posted a pair of shutouts, while playing all 270 minutes in net last week. He now owns three shutouts and a 4-1 record in five games started.

Opdenaker has allowed just four goals in those five matches for a 0.80 goals-against average, the best in the PSUAC and seventh-lowest mark nationally.

Walleekendeh continued his torrid start to the season with 14 goals and two assists for a 30-point week. After scoring twice in a victory over Penn State Mont Alto, Walleekendeh broke his own school record by scoring all six goals in a 6-2 win over Valley Forge. Two days later, he matched his record, scoring six times in a blowout victory over Penn State Scranton.

In five games this fall, Walleekendeh has produced a USCAA-leading 19 goals and 41 total points. His goal and point totals are not only top in the USCAA, but all levels of men's college soccer (NCAA, NAIA, NJCAA, USCAA). Walleekendeh is approaching the 200-point mark for his career with 190 points (83G, 24A) in 58 games over the last four years.

Brandywine (4-1, 2-0 PSUAC) travels to Penn State Beaver Saturday for a 2:00 pm game.