Official NWC Release

HILLSBORO, Ore. — The Northwest Conference announced its weekly awards on Monday with Pacific Lutheran University goalkeeper Abby Winkler securing NWC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

The Portland, Oregon native wins the honor after racking up 18 saves over the weekend against a pair of NCAA Tournament teams. 
 
The senior tallied 10 saves, including six in the second half against 2023 National Champion California Lutheran University on Friday before netting eight stops against 19^th-ranked Pomona-Pitzer Colleges on Sunday. Winkler finished the grueling weekend with a .900 save percentage was one of just two Lutes to play all 180 minutes. 
 
A First Team All-NWC selection last fall, this is the seventh time Winkler has won NWC Defensive Player of the Week. The keeper won it three times last fall (Sept. 2, Sept. 9, and Nov. 11), and three times in 2023 (Sept. 5, Sept. 11, and Oct. 9).
 
Winkler and the eight-time defending NWC Champion Lutes (0-2-2) take the coming weekend off before opening up its NWC title defense on Sept. 20 at home against George Fox University.