Marshall University Athletics
Emma Durand Named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week
9/8/2026 3:00:00 PM | Women's Soccer
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. - Marshall's goalkeeper Emma Durand has been named the Sun Belt Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week, the league announced on Tuesday.
Durand picked up her second-consecutive clean sheet in the Herd's draw with Murray State last Thursday, before making a career-high 10 saves against No. 7 WVU Sunday evening, keeping the 7th-ranked team in the country to its lowest goal total of the season.
Following the draw Thursday, the Herd's junior keeper from Angers, France now has eight shutouts, 6th-most in program history. Durand has pitched multiple shutouts in a row for the second time in her career, with a three-match streak in conference play last season.
The recognition from the SBC for Durand marks the second-consecutive player of the week honor for a Marshall player, a first during the program's time in the league. Last week, Wiktoria Mikrut was named the SBC Offensive Player of the Week, with a total now of five weekly awards won by the Herd under Head Coach Rafa Simoes.
"Emma was outstanding for us this week and fully deserves this recognition," said Coach Simoes. "She earned a shutout against Murray and then came up with several big saves against No. 7 West Virginia that kept us in the game against one of the best teams in the country. Her performance was a big reason we were able to compete at such a high level. I'm extremely proud of Emma and the work she continues to put in every day."
"At the same time, I want to give a big shoutout to our fullbacks, center backs, and holding midfielders. The work we have been putting in during training to become more disciplined and connected defensively is starting to show, and that group deserves a lot of credit for the way they have competed and supported Emma. It's a great sign of what we can accomplish when we defend together, and I'm excited about where this group can continue to go."
The Herd returns to action Sunday, Sept. 13 at Bellarmine.
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