CLEVELAND, Ohio -- After the first week of action, the Mid-American Conference announced its opening set of weekly awards, which included junior goalkeeper Ava Wilberding being selected as the league's Defensive Player of the Week. 

In her first career start in the Brown and Gold, the Grand Rapids, Mich. native posted a six-save shutout to help the Broncos claim a 3-0 victory over Northern Kentucky on Aug. 15. Wilberding was one of four goalkeepers to post a full 90-minute shutout on the opening week of play.  Among those keepers, Wilberding made the most saves in her clean sheet. 

Through the first week of play, Wilberding leads the league in shutouts, goals against average, save percentage and wins. She is third in the conference in saves, trailing the leaders by just one. 

Wilberding and the Broncos will be back in action on Thursday, Aug. 22 against Iowa. The game is set for 2:30 PM at the WMU Soccer Complex.