Kansas defender Addisyn Merrick was named the Big 12’s Defensive Player of the Week by the league office Tuesday. The senior, who anchored the KU backline to a pair of the road shutouts last weekend, earned her first conference weekly award and became the second Jayhawk to claim the honor this season after Katie McClure was named the Offensive Player of the Week on Aug. 27.
Merrick, who hails from Lee’s Summit, Missouri, anchored a KU defense that allowed just eight shots, four on target, in two road weekend matches. She played all 180 minutes in two shutout victories over Northwestern and Western Michigan. Kansas was the only Big 12 team that did not allow a goal over the weekend. The Jayhawks are tied for the league lead with just three goals allowed this season.
Kansas will return to Rock Chalk Park following a four-game road swing when they welcome No. 10 BYU at 7 p.m. Thursday.
