ORLANDO – The No. 14 UCF men's soccer team has received its team recognition for its strong start to the 2023, and the individual accolades have now started rolling in as well.
After the Knights put on a third straight defensive clinic en route to their third consecutive win Friday evening, fifth year defender Zane Bubb has won the first Sun Belt weekly honor in program history, garnering the conference's Defensive Player of the Week award as announced by the Sun Belt Tuesday afternoon.
Bubb served as an integral piece of the Knights' defensive scheme throughout the team's 3-1 comeback victory over the NC State Wolfpack, playing 82 of the match's 90 minutes and completing 67 of 74 total passes (91 percent) before winning the first conference weekly honor of his collegiate career.
With Bubb's help, UCF recorded its third consecutive match with only one goal allowed to begin the season, and the team has yielded nine or fewer shot attempts and four or fewer shots on goal in each of the Knights' first three matches this fall.
The Jacksonville, Florida, native represents the first Knight to win a weekly conference honor since Gino Vivi was awarded American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week Oct. 24, 2022, after he recorded a goal and an assist in UCF's 2-1 win over Charlotte Oct. 21.
Bubb also becomes the Knights' first Defensive Player of the Week since the 2021 season, when UCF swept The American's weekly honors following their 4-1 victory over the Memphis Tigers Sept. 18. Following the Black and Gold's performance, Anderson Rosa was tabbed with Defensive Player of the Week, joined by Lucca Dourado on the offensive side and Tyler Lavigne between the goalposts.
Bubb and the Knights will look to continue riding their early-season momentum and extend their season-opening win streak to four consecutive matches Tuesday evening, when the team will meet the No. 7 Florida International Panthers. Kickoff for the match is slated for 7 p.m. from the UCF Soccer Complex.
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