CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - University of Illinois defender Meghan Kolze (Lake Zurich HS, Lake Zurich, Ill.) has been named Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week for her outstanding performances in two Illini victories over the weekend.

Kolze, a senior co-captain, assisted on two of the three Illini goals in last weekend's Illinois Invitatinoal, leading the defense to back-to-back shutouts against Evansville and Illinois State. In those two games combined, the UI defense allowed only two shots on goal, both against ISU.

In Friday night's 1-0 victory, Kolze anchored an Illinois defense that held Evansville without a shot for the entire game. It marked only the second time in school history that the Illini did not allow an opponent a single shot attempt. The last time was back on September 27, 1998, when the Orange and Blue held Valparaiso without a shot in a 3-0 win. Kolze also assisted on Tara Hurless' game-winning goal in the 82nd minute.

Then on Sunday, Kolze led the defense to its second consecutive shutout, this time a 2-0 win over Illinois State. The last time an Illini squad had back-to-back shutout wins was in 2000, when they held Ohio State, Purdue and Indiana scoreless in three consecutive games. Kolze also added another assist on Sunday, helping set-up Jessica Bayne's game-winning goal in the first half.

Kolze, a second team All-Big Ten selection a year ago, now has one goal and two assists on the season, and has been instrumental in turning around an Illinois defense that ranked at the bottom of the league last season. So far in six games this year, UI has allowed only four goals and 18 shots on goal en route to a 4-2-0 record. This is Kolze's first Player of the Week honor.

This weekend, Illinois kicks off Big Ten Conference play by hosting Michigan and Michigan State at Illinois Soccer Stadium.