A season-opening shutout win keeps North Carolina atop the TopDrawerSoccer.com Tournament 48 National Ranking this week. The Tar Heels are listed ahead of fellow winners Connecticut, Maryland and Akron in the latest update of the ranking.

The ranking is an effort to project the postseason NCAA Tournament field of 48 each week, including the automatic qualifiers from every DI conference. The ranking update is posted after reviewing all results from the previous week.

See the complete rankings.

Meanwhile, Eriq Zavaleta of Indiana is our TopDrawerSoccer.com Men’s College Player of the Week after he scored 3 goals to help the Hoosiers defeat Saint Louis and Cincinnati to open their season.

The honor, along with the 11-player Team of the Week, is awarded each week after a review of match reports through DI Men’s Soccer.  Zavaleta scored in the team’s 2-1 victory over Saint Louis, and then twice in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat of Cincinnati.

The entire Team of the Week is as follows:

GK: Winston Boldt, Army – Recorded 7 saves in Army’s 3-0 win over Air Force.

D: Dylan Tucker-Gangnes, Washington – Scored twice and played every minute in defense as the Huskies won twice.

D/M: Eric Pothast, Marquette – Played 180 minutes and scored a winning goal as Marquette opened the season with a pair of wins over in-state rivals.

M: Chris  Harmon, Old Dominion – Scored twice and added an assist in a 4-0 Monarchs’ win over Navy.

M: Jordan LeBlanc, Old Dominion – Also scored twiceand added an assist in a 4-0 Monarchs’ win over Navy.

M: Julian Cardona, Penn State Scored twice in the Nittany Lions 3-0 win over Stetson.

M: John Stertzer, Maryland – Scored and bossed midfield in Maryland’s 3-0 win over Louisville.

M: Leon Carby, High Point – Scored a goal and added an assist in a 4-2 win over Elon.

F: Bryce Follensbee, Tulsa Scored twice in the Golden Hurricane’s 4-0 win over UMKC(m).

F: Eriq Zavaleta, Indiana – Scored 3 goals overall in a pair of wins for the Hoosiers.

F: Devon Sandoval, New Mexico – Scored twice and added an assist in the Lobos’ win over UCLA.

 

Player of the Week: Eriq Zavaleta, Indiana