Soccer America named sophomore forward Kerri Hanks National Player of the Week Wednesday after Hanks' nine-point performance last weekend in wins over Rutgers and Seton Hall.
After a three goal, one assist performance against Seton Hall and a two assist game against Rutgers, Hanks became the fourth Notre Dame player to receive national player of the week honors - the second in as many weeks. Soccer America gave the award to freshman forward Michele Weissenhofer following a three goal, one assist weekend.
"Certainly everyone likes to get individual recognition," Irish coach Randy Waldrum said. "I think it's great because certainly Kerri deserved it just like the other three that did it earlier in the year."
Hanks' dominant performance gave her 11 goals and 28 points for the year, which puts her tied for fourth and fifth place, respectively, in the nation. Weissenhofer's 31 points and 13 assists leads the country.
As a team, Notre Dame's 3.46 goals per game average ranks third in the country. After finishing last year as the nation's top scoring offense, Waldrum thinks awards like Hanks' only serves to help Notre Dame's reputation nationwide.
"I think the thing it really helps us in is national visibility from a recruiting standpoint - kind of being at the forefront," he said. "I'm proud of [Hanks] from that standpoint. She scored nine points over the weekend. It wasn't a surprise she got it."
After learning about the honor during practice Wednesday, Hanks downplayed its individual importance and looked upon it as a compliment to the team's success.
"I really don't pay very much attention to it," Hanks said. "Anyone on our team could have done it based on the weekend. We did really well all together. So I just think as long as we play well as a team, that's all that really matters."
Wednesday marked the second time Hanks earned Soccer America player of the week honors, harking back to the first weekend of her soccer career, in which she scored seven goals and one assist in wins over New Hampshire and Vermont.
Junior forward Amanda Cinalli and sophomore defender Carrie Dew were named National Player of the Week earlier in the year by Soccer America.
This week marks the second consecutive week Notre Dame has swept the Soccer America honors, as Notre Dame men's forward Joseph Lapira was named National Player of the Week the past two weeks after scoring two goals in each of Notre Dame's past five games.
