Indiana University Athletics
Babcock Wins Big Ten Weekly Honor
10/2/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 2, 2006
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Junior defender Jenna Babcock has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the conference office announced Monday, Oct. 2. Babcock, who was also named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's National Team of the Week, led the Hoosier defense in a pair of conference victories at Michigan State (1-0) and Michigan (2-1) this weekend. The Hoosiers improved to 7-2-3 (4-0-0 Big Ten) and upped their unbeaten streak to 10 games with the triumphs.
Babcock and the Hoosiers opened the weekend with their fifth shutout of the season on Friday, Sept. 29, at Michigan State. Babcock led the Hoosier defense, which limited the Spartans to just five shots in the contest. She also held the Big Ten's leading scorer, forward Lauren Hill, in check, limiting the freshman phenom to two shots and no points. Babcock also helped set up Carrie DeFreece's game-winning goal against Michigan State with a long pass into the left corner.
The Evansville, Ind., native followed that up by limiting Michigan to just eight shots and a single goal in the Hoosiers' 2-1 victory. Babcock and the back four held Melissa Dobbin, who leads the Wolverines in goals, points and shots, to just two shots and kept the junior off the scoreboard. UM scored its lone goal off a corner kick in the 61st minute.
This is the first Big Ten award for Babcock, and the second weekly award of the season for the Hoosiers. Senior forward Carrie DeFreece was named Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 11.
Babcock will travel to her hometown of Evansville on Wednesday, Oct. 4, as the Hoosiers take on the Purple Aces at 8 p.m. EDT. The Hoosiers will then face Big Ten power Penn State on Sunday, Oct. 8, at noon in a battle for first place in the conference.
