Shertzer, Nickel Named Big 12 Players of the Week
August 26, 2026 12:59 PM | Women's Soccer
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – After helping the Mountaineers earn a pair of wins last week, senior defender Olivia Shertzer and junior forward/defender Sophia Nickel of the West Virginia University women's soccer team collected a pair of Big 12 Conference weekly awards, as announced by the league on Wednesday.
Shertzer was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week, while Nickel was named the Offensive Player of the Week. The honors mark the first for a Mountaineer this season, as well as the first of both Shertzer and Nickel's careers. Shertzer becomes WVU's first defensive player of the week since classmate Jacey Rase earned the award on Oct. 29, 2025. Nickel's honor is the first for an offensive player since Taylor White's award on Oct. 15, 2025.
A native of Lititz, Pennsylvania, Shertzer scored an impressive goal to help WVU earn a 2-1 win over No. 23 Penn State on Aug. 20. After the Nittany Lions scored first, Shertzer scored an unassisted banger from about 30 yards out to level the score line just 20 minutes later. From there, Shertzer and the defense held Penn State to just two more shots on goal, keeping the Nittany Lions to just three total shots on frame in the match. She played all 90 minutes in the win over Penn State.
Then on Aug. 23, Shertzer helped the defense tally its second shutout of the season in a 2-0 win over Duquesne. The WVU back line held Duquesne to just three shots, including two shots on goal, in the match. WVU has now held all three of its opponents to three shots on goal or fewer so far this season.
Hailing from Golden, Colorado, Nickel scored a pair of game-winning goals in the wins last week. She notched the go-ahead and game-winning goal against No. 23 Penn State, lifting West Virginia to a 2-1 win and helping WVU earn its first win over Penn State since 2017. Nickel scored her second goal of the week against Duquesne, which also was the game winner.
Nickel has now scored in each of West Virginia's first three matches of the season, with each score being the game-winning goal. She also becomes the first Mountaineer to score in each of the first three matches since 2006.
Up next, West Virginia prepares for its first road trip of the year, traveling to compete against Princeton on Thursday, Aug. 27. Kickoff at Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium in Princeton, New Jersey, is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Shertzer was tabbed the Defensive Player of the Week, while Nickel was named the Offensive Player of the Week. The honors mark the first for a Mountaineer this season, as well as the first of both Shertzer and Nickel's careers. Shertzer becomes WVU's first defensive player of the week since classmate Jacey Rase earned the award on Oct. 29, 2025. Nickel's honor is the first for an offensive player since Taylor White's award on Oct. 15, 2025.
A native of Lititz, Pennsylvania, Shertzer scored an impressive goal to help WVU earn a 2-1 win over No. 23 Penn State on Aug. 20. After the Nittany Lions scored first, Shertzer scored an unassisted banger from about 30 yards out to level the score line just 20 minutes later. From there, Shertzer and the defense held Penn State to just two more shots on goal, keeping the Nittany Lions to just three total shots on frame in the match. She played all 90 minutes in the win over Penn State.
Then on Aug. 23, Shertzer helped the defense tally its second shutout of the season in a 2-0 win over Duquesne. The WVU back line held Duquesne to just three shots, including two shots on goal, in the match. WVU has now held all three of its opponents to three shots on goal or fewer so far this season.
Hailing from Golden, Colorado, Nickel scored a pair of game-winning goals in the wins last week. She notched the go-ahead and game-winning goal against No. 23 Penn State, lifting West Virginia to a 2-1 win and helping WVU earn its first win over Penn State since 2017. Nickel scored her second goal of the week against Duquesne, which also was the game winner.
Nickel has now scored in each of West Virginia's first three matches of the season, with each score being the game-winning goal. She also becomes the first Mountaineer to score in each of the first three matches since 2006.
Up next, West Virginia prepares for its first road trip of the year, traveling to compete against Princeton on Thursday, Aug. 27. Kickoff at Myslik Field at Roberts Stadium in Princeton, New Jersey, is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.
For more information on the Mountaineers, follow @WVUWomensSoccer on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
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