NEC Player of the Week: Torren Aikens, SFU
NEC Rookie of the Week: Álvaro Planas, SFU
Previous NEC Releases: NEC Preseason Poll

NEC MEN'S SOCCER PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Torren Aikens, Jr., D, Saint Francis U
Baltimore, MD/Mount St. Joseph's
Saint Francis U kicked off the opening week of the 2023 season with a triumph and a tie on its home turf. On opening day against Canisius, the Red Flash secured a 2-1 victory with Aikens, a junior defender, serving as the catalyst in the squad's first goal of the game and season. His assist came in the 39th minute to put Saint Francis U ahead. On Sunday, the Red Flash were trailing by a goal in the second half against Fordham until Aikens equalized the game in the 68th minute with a back-post run off a corner, heading the ball into the back of the net. Saint Francis U are off to strong start under new management, led by head coach Mads Kaiser.

NEC MEN'S SOCCER ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Álvaro Planas, Fr., F, Saint Francis U
Valladolid, Spain/Nuestra Señora del Lourdes
In his collegiate debut, Planas set the tone for the season with a clinical one-touch finish after he was fed a through-ball into the box that split the Canisius defense. The Valladolid, Spain native opened the scoring for the Red Flash in the 39th minute, sparking the Red Flash to a 2-1 home triumph in their opening game of the season on Thursday.

NEC PRIME PERFORMERS

Jaime Barbero, So., F, FDU
The 2022 NEC All-Tournament MVP picked up right where he left off. Following an undefeated NEC season and conference championship title, FDU did not disappoint, opening its season with a 3-1 triumph on the road against Fairfield. With the score tied at 1-1, Barbero scored the go-ahead goal off a set-piece in the 74th minute to put the NEC preseason favorites ahead.

Ben Assane Fall, Jr., F, LIU
Fall suffered a season-ending injury in last season's opener against Stony Brook and stepped on the field for the first time since in a rematch against the Seawolves on Thursday. As if it were scripted, the junior forward scored the game-winning goal in the 74th minute on a header to kickoff LIU's season with a 2-1 win on the road to cap an inspiring return to the pitch.

Torren Aikens, Jr., D, SFU
Saint Francis U kicked off the opening week of the 2023 season with a triumph and a tie on its home turf. On opening day against Canisius, the Red Flash secured a 2-1 victory with Aikens, a junior defender, serving as the catalyst in the squad's first goal of the game and season. His assist came in the 39th minute to put Saint Francis U ahead. On Sunday, the Red Flash were trailing by a goal in the second half against Fordham until Aikens equalized the game in the 68th minute with a back-post run off a corner, heading the ball into the back of the net. Saint Francis U are off to strong start under new management, led by head coach Mads Kaiser.

Álvaro Planas, Fr., F, SFU
In his collegiate debut, Planas set the tone for the season with a clinical one-touch finish after he was fed a through-ball into the box that split the Canisius defense. The Valladolid, Spain native opened the scoring for the Red Flash in the 39th minute, sparking the Red Flash to a 2-1 home triumph in their opening game of the season on Thursday.

Colin Milliken, Jr., MF, STO
In a back and forth season opener, the Skyhawks drew 3-3 at home against La Salle. Milliken produced an outstanding performance for the Stonehill squad, contributing to all three goals on Thursday. The junior midfielder assisted the opening goal of the game in the 29th minute. Milliken then produced two goals in the second half, setting up himself up with a left-footed finish inside the box and a penalty kick that fired into the left upper-90 of the goal frame.