PROVIDENCE, RI (October 14) – Damani Ralph (Kingston, Jamaica) and Shavar Thomas were selected as BIG EAST Players of the Week by the league office on Monday afternoon. Ralph was the BIG EAST Co-Offensive Player of the week along with Virginia Tech’s Ken Jonmaire, while Thomas was the BIG EAST Defender of the Week.

Ralph wins the award for the third time this season after helping No. 7 Connecticut to two wins last week by scoring two crucial goals. In a 2-1 BIG EAST victory over Providence, he scored the game winner just minutes before halftime and just more than a minute after the Friars had tied the game. In a 2-0 win over No. 6 Maryland, Ralph tallied what proved to be the game winning score in the first half.

Thomas anchored the Connecticut defense that allowed just one goal and 19 opponent shots in a pair of victories. Providence was limited to seven shots in a 2-1 Husky win. In a 2-0 shutout against No. 6 Maryland, Thomas and the defense held the Terrapins to 12 shots and three corner kicks.