Madelyn DesianoMadelyn Desiano
Ross Turteltaub

Madelyn Desiano

Desiano Selected Pac-12 Defensive Player of Week

Women's Soccer

Graduate student scored her first career goal and led UCLA to a pair of shutout victories.

Graduate student Madelyn Desiano has been named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending Oct. 9, 2022.

Desiano, who hails from San Clemente, Calif., led top-ranked UCLA to a pair of shutouts, blanking Arizona State 4-0 on Thursday and Arizona 1-0 on Sunday while limiting both squads to single-digit shot totals. Desiano helped the Bruin defense hold the Sun Devils to just two shots; their offense came into the game ranked seven in the nation in points per game. Additionally, she scored the first goal of her collegiate career in the Arizona State contest, a long-distance strike in the second half of the victory. Desiano has played every game this season for UCLA, who remains perfect with a 13-0 record and is off to its best start in school history.

This is Desiano's first Defensive Player of the Week award this season and the third of her career.

Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week: Aug. 22 – Shyra James, Colorado; Aug. 29 – Sunshine Fontes, UCLA; Sept. 5 – Reilyn Turner, UCLA; Sept. 12 – Simone Jackson, USC; Sept. 19 – Nicole Douglas, Arizona State; Sept. 26 – Nicole Payne, USC; Oct. 3 – Croix Bethune, USC; Oct. 10 – Keely Roy, California.

Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week: Aug. 22 – Madison Goerlinger, Arizona; Aug. 29 – Maya Evans, UCLA; Sept. 5 – Elise Evans, Stanford; Sept. 12 – Sydney Collins, California; Sept. 19 – Sydney Collins, California; Sept. 26 – Maryn Granger, Utah; Oct. 3 – Shae Holmes, Washington; Oct. 10 – Madelyn Desiano, UCLA.

Pac-12 Goalkeeper of the Week: Aug. 22 – Hope Hisey, Arizona; Aug. 29 – Lauren Brzykcy, UCLA; Sept. 5 – Lauren Brzykcy, UCLA; Sept. 12 – Angelina Anderson, California; Sept. 19 – Lauren Brzykcy, UCLA; Sept. 26 – Leah Freeman, Oregon; Oct. 3 – Ryan Campbell, Stanford; Oct. 10 – Hope Hisey, Arizona.