Men's Soccer

MVC Men's Soccer Weekly Notebook (Sept. 16)

ST. LOUIS -- The Missouri Valley Conference announced its men's soccer weekly award winners on Tuesday. For the third time this season, UIC's Edouard Nys has been named the MVC Player of the Week while Drake's Tomas Butkovic is this week's Defensive Player of the Week. 

Conference News & Notes
  • Three Valley teams remain unbeaten, led by UIC’s 6-0-1 record. Drake enters the week at 4-0-3 while Belmont is 3-0-3.
  • The Flames’ six wins are tied for the second most in Division I while the Bruins’ eight-match unbeaten streak, dating back to last season, marks a program record.
  • Bowling Green earned a 1-1 draw at No. 17 Kentucky on Sunday marking the first result against a Top 25 opponent by a Valley program this season. 
  • UIC’s Edouard Nys was named to the Top Drawer Soccer Team of the Week on Tuesday morning for his performance against Western Illinois.
  • As a team, UIC is second in total goals (22), second in total points (71) and seventh in goal differential (14) in Division I. Midfielder Edouard Nys is tied for first with 8 goals and leads Division I in total points.
  • Defensively, Enzo Gil is averaging 6.50 saves per match, while as a team, Bowling Green ranks ninth in Division I in save percentage (.909). Gil’s 39 saves are tied for the most nationally while Bradley’s Drew Berry ranks 16th with 27 total saves.
  • Evansville picked up its first win of the season on Saturday, winning the annual Mayor’s Cup against Southern Indiana. Andres Escudero notched his first-career brace in the victory. The Purple Aces’ four ties are tied for the most in Division I heading into week five of the season.
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PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Edouard Nys, UIC, Jr., Midfielder - Dottignies, Belgium (Northeast CC)
Edouard Nys had a hand in four of UIC’s five goals in its lone match last week, posting two goals and two assists in the Flames’ 5-3 win over Western Illinois on Thursday at Flames Field. Needing just 70 minutes of time on the pitch, the junior recorded his first brace and first two-assist night of the season, while his six points were the most for a UIC player in a single match since Oct. 26, 2019, when Bukola Abdulwahab likewise had six points at IUPUI (now IU Indy). With Thursday’s two goals, Nys also extended his goalscoring streak to five matches, the longest by a UIC player since Oct. 5-26, 2019, when Abdulwahab scored in five straight. For the season, Nys leads the MVC and ranks among the top five nationally with seven goals and 18 points.
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Tomas Butkovic, Drake, So., Goalkeeper - Wollongong, Australia (Figtree)
Sophomore goalkeeper Tomas Butkovic was rock solid for the Drake Bulldogs as he kept two opponents off the board last week. Butkovic made 10 total saves with five coming in a scoreless road draw at Kansas City on Sep. 9 and 1-0 home victory over DePaul. He kept the Roos without a goal on their seven total shots while DePaul attempted 11 without scoring for the first time in 2025. The anchor of a stellar Drake defense, Butkovic now has 18 saves and the third-best goals against average of in the league at .883. 

Selections based on performances in matches Sept. 8-14