August 30, 2011

Ilhan named SoCon co-Player of the Week

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – UNCG forward Hakan Ilhan has been named the Southern Conference Men's Soccer co-Player of the Week for games Aug. 26-28, the league announced Tuesday.

Ilhan shared the award with College of Charleston's Andy Craven, who scored twice in the Cougars' 3-2 victory over then-No. 15 South Carolina on Sunday.

Ilhan scored a pair of goals, including the game-winner, Friday night in helping the Spartans (1-0) to a 3-2 win over then-No. 12 Duke at the UNCG Soccer Stadium in front of a crowd of 2,064 fans. The SoCon Player of the Week award is the first of Ilhan's career. Ilhan was a first-team All-SoCon performer last season, his first in a UNCG uniform.

The Stuttgart, Germany, junior's big night landed him some national attention, as well, as Ilhan earned spots on the TopDrawerSoccer.com Men's College Team of the Week and the College Soccer News National Team of the Week.

The Spartans jumped into the national rankings after the win over Duke, UNCG's third in its last four attempts against the Blue Devils. UNCG is ranked 19^th in the CSN Top 30 National Poll, 20^th in the Soccer America Men's Top 25 and 24^th in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America/Continental Tire Top 25.

UNCG returns to action Wednesday when it hosts East Tennessee State at the UNCG Soccer Stadium at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

AGATE

2011 SoCon Men's Soccer Players of the Week
Aug. 30 Andy Craven, College of Charleston
Hakan Ilhan, UNCG

- UNCG -