PORTLAND, Ore. – After helping the Montana State University Billings men's soccer team to a pair of wins – including a 1-0 shutout of Seattle Pacific University – freshman center back Oliver Posarelli has been named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week announced by the conference office Monday.
 
"This award is thoroughly deserved, for a player who we've been able to lean on heavily since the beginning of the season," said MSUB head coach Alex Balog. "Oliver has played through two serious injuries, and that shows his level of commitment to our program. I'm glad the conference is recognizing him with this award, as he has been playing at a high level throughout the fall."
 
Starting all 15 matches this season, Posarelli has been crucial among the Yellowjackets' defensive unit. Last week against Concordia, he had his first assist of the year as he pushed forward and helped the team score in a 4-1 victory. Against Seattle Pacific University on Saturday, Posarelli played a full 90 minutes and helped the team earn its sixth shutout with a 1-0 victory.
 
A native of Verona, Italy, Posarelli has also scored two goals this season. He leads the team in minutes played with 1,361, and has played the entire match on 10 occasions.
 
Posarelli is the third Yellowjacket to win GNAC Player of the Week honors this fall, all three coming on the defensive side of the ball. Senior goalkeeper Tom Lohmann earned the award for Sept. 5-11, and sophomore holding midfielder Guillaume Kremer took home the honor for Sept. 19-25.
 
MSUB enters this week having won three of its last four matches, and is ranked No. 8 in the NCAA Division II West Region poll. The Yellowjackets face GNAC opponents Simon Fraser University and Western Washington University this week on the road, before closing the regular season at home on Nov. 3 against Saint Martin's University.