LAKEPOINT, Ga. – Following a record-setting performance Saturday night, FGCU junior Albert Ruiz has been named the Atlantic Sun Conference Men’s Soccer Player of the Week, while teammate Sawyer Jackman has been tabbed as the league’s Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by conference officials Monday.

After not recording a point for the first time all year in FGCU’s 3-1 victory over UCF on Wednesday, Ruiz (Barcelona, Spain/ CE L’Hospitalet/UE Cornella) secured just the second hat trick in program history as part of FGCU’s 5-0 rout of visiting UNCW Saturday. The forward also added an assist on the game-winning goal to finish with a single-game program record seven points. The Player of the Week honor is the second of Ruiz’s career.

Jackman (Chicago, Ill./St. Charles East HS) earned his first career shutout as the sophomore made four saves to post the first clean sheet of the year for the Green and Blue. That came on the heels of a season-high six saves versus UCF, one shy of matching his career high. The Defensive Player of the Week recognition is the second of the sophomore’s career.

The Eagles have now won four in a row after starting the season 0-2-1. The triumph over UNCW came against what was at the time just one of six unbeaten and untied teams in the country and ranked just outside the top 25 in nearly every national poll. The victory was the largest non-conference shutout in program history, and tied for the 2nd-biggest all-time. FGCU was ranked #6 in the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Southeast Region Poll last week and is likely to climb higher this week.

Making Ruiz’s record-setting evening more impressive is that he did it all in only 50 minutes of action. He scored his goals in the 30th, 42nd and 49th minutes, and assisted on a Jiro Barriga Toyama (Chiba, Japan/Barton CC/Chibakennrituoihama HS) goal in the 15th minute to commence the scoring.

Ruiz leads the ASUN in goals (7) and is tied for the league lead in assists (3) as his 17 points easily pace the conference and are already tied for the FGCU single-season record. With his seven-point night – one more than the previous record of six held by Scott Harrison, who posted a hat trick against North Florida on Oct. 31, 2010 – Ruiz moved into sole possession of 3rd place on the program’s career points list with 35. Ruiz is just nine points shy of breaking the record of 43 by Cristian Raudales from 2008-11, and also has 15 career goals to rank 3rd in program history and just five shy of surpassing Raudales’s mark of 19.

Jackman made many key, point-blank saves early in the contest at UCF to keep the match scoreless and give the Eagles’ offense time to get going. Once it did, Jackman continued his highlight-reel performance with a couple more great stops in the second half and continued the momentum over into the contest with UNCW.

After alternating goalkeepers the first four games of the year, Jackman has gotten the nod each of the last four times out and is now 4-0-1 on the year with a goals-against average of 0.96. His 21 saves and save percentage of .808 are both 2nd in the ASUN, while his GAA is 4th-best in the league.

FGCU will look to keep rolling as it remains at home for a quick turnaround when it hosts cross-state foe FAU on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 7 p.m. The Owls are 1-3-1 on the year following a 1-0 loss at home to South Carolina on Saturday evening.

TICKET INFORMATION
Season and single-game tickets are available for the 2016 campaign, with season tickets starting at just $35. More information, including special discounts and group rates, can be accessed by visiting FGCUTickets.com. To purchase tickets, or for additional inquiries, call the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU men’s soccer program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_MSoccer, Instagram @FGCU_MSoccer, Facebook /FGCUMSoccer and YouTube /FGCUAthletics.

COACH BUTEHORN
FGCU is led by Bob Butehorn, who has coached six professional players and 54 ASUN All-Conference selections since FGCU started its program in 2007. In just five years of postseason eligibility, Butehorn has guided FGCU to three ASUN Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament appearances – in 2011, 2012 and 2014 – and has won an unprecedented six-straight ASUN regular-season championships. His teams have been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets. Now in his 14th season as a head coach, Butehorn has a 119-92-26 (.557) overall record, 85-60-22 (.575) mark in his 10th season at FGCU and 48-17-6 (.718) record in ASUN contests.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics’ charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.

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