Midfielder Molly Hale has earned UCLA’s first weekly conference award of the season, being named the Big Ten Women’s Soccer Freshman of the Week after a two-goal game in the comeback win at Santa Clara.

Hale’s first two goals of her collegiate career were monumental for the Bruins, who had entered the second half down 2-0 to the unbeaten Broncos. After a 63rd-minute goal by Leena Powell cut the Bruins’ deficit in half, Hale scored twice in the span of 95 seconds to flip the script. She scored her first goal on a header at 74:16 to tie the game and then hit a banger to the far post at 75:51 for the game-winner. Hale is now tied for the team lead in goals scored with two, and she holds a shots on goal percentage of 1.000, with all four of her shots on frame. The Ottawa, Ontario native is the first UCLA true freshman to record a brace since Reilyn Turner did it on April 30, 2021.

UCLA will host Pepperdine on Friday, Sept. 4 at 7pm at Wallis Annenberg Stadium. The match will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.

Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week: Aug. 18 – Aubrey Kulpa, Penn State; Aug. 25 – Kennedy Bell, Michigan State; Sept. 1 – Nicole Crane, Penn State.

Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week: Aug. 18 – Taylor Dever, Oregon; Aug. 25 – Hailey Baumann, Wisconsin; Sept. 1 – Tanna Schornstein, Purdue.

Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week: Aug. 18 – Izzy Lee, Illinois; Aug. 25 – Drew Stover, Wisconsin/Peighton Northrup, Ohio State; Sept. 1 – Mackenzie Gress, Penn State.

Big Ten Freshman of the Week: Aug. 18 – Shiloh Baird, Oregon; Aug. 25 – Zoe Miles, Purdue; Sept. 1 – Molly Hale, UCLA.