The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Curtis Ushedo Named Defensive Player Of The Week
11/2/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Nov. 2, 2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- UAB men's soccer player Curtis Ushedo (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) has been tabbed the Conference USA men's soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Monday. The award marks a conference-leading eighth time a UAB player has been tabbed for either the league's offensive or defensive weekly award.
"I am very happy for Curtis and I think he is very deserving of this honor," UAB head coach Mike Getman said. "Our defense has been great all season and Curtis is a big reason for that. We certainly feel he is one of the top defensive players in the league and we're happy the league recognized that."
Ushedo led the Blazer defense in two shutout victories last week over South Carolina and Alabama A&M. In a 3-0 win over South Carolina, he helped hold the Gamecocks to only seven shots on the night, four of which came on frame, while keeping tabs on one of the league's top offensive players in Sam Arthur, holding him without a shot on the night.
Ushedo stepped up his performance in the 1-0 non-conference win at Alabama A&M on Sunday. Ushedo led the defense in holding a dangerous Bulldog team to only five shots in the match, and no shots on goal. Additionally, he scored his first goal of the season, and his first career game-winning marker, in the 83rd minute of play to lift the Blazers to their 12th win over the last 14 contests (12-1-1). Thanks in large part to Ushedo's efforts, the Blazers held two opponents last week to only 12 shots and four shots on goal. This is his first C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honor.
The Blazers continue to lead all C-USA teams with their eight player of the week awards on the year. In addition to Ushedo's accolade on Monday, Two-Boys Gumede (Sept. 21 and Oct. 5) and Carl Woszczynski (Sept. 28 and Oct. 5) have earned two honors apiece, while Babayele Sodade (Sept. 8) and Kofi Gyawu (Oct. 12) were also named the league's offensive player of the week this season. Furthermore, a UAB player has now earned a weekly award in eight of the nine weeks the honors have been distributed this season.
"I have been pleasantly surprised that so many of our players have been recognized by the conference," Getman said. "I think all the guys that have received the honor are deserving. I just hope they stay focused on the job at hand. There is still a lot of soccer left to be played this season."
The Blazers, who check in at No. 14 in the nation in the latest TopDrawerSoccer.com poll released Monday morning, will have a chance to clinch their third Conference USA regular-season title, and first since 1999, when UAB travels to take on Marshall on Saturday night at 7 p.m. ET.
