BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – Jacksonville State's Emily Bielaga has been honored by the Ohio Valley Conference as the league's soccer Defensive Player of the Week. It marks the second-straight week that a member of the Gamecock soccer squad has earned OVC accolades.

Ali Koenig claimed Co-Goalkeeper of the Week honors last week.

Bielaga, a junior captain from Naperville, Ill., was instrumental in securing JSU's first win of the season last Friday at Mississippi Valley State. She aided in Chelsea Pelletier's goal against MVSU as she delivered the assist on Pelletier's break-away goal. Bielaga also logged valuable minutes in both games this past weekend.

"Emily is truly deserving of this award. She is representing a very strong defensive line. She has had a very good start to her season,” said JSU head coach Julie Davis Carlson. “We are proud of what she has been able to achieve. As one of our starters and our team captain, we look forward to her continued dominance and leadership as she continues to solidify our defense. It is difficult to get defenders recognized on the field. They are the "behind the scene" players who deserve a whole lot of credit for the job that they do."

After four matches away from the JSU Soccer Field, the Gamecocks return home this weekend to host the JSU/Adidas Gamecock Soccer Classic. Jax State will open the two-day event with a 7:30 p.m. affair with Southeastern Louisiana on Friday. Austin Peay and Southern (La.) University will kick off the event at 5 p.m. Sunday's matches begin at Noon with SELU and APSU doing battle. JSU will face SU at 2:30 p.m.