Sept. 17, 2007

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Junior defender Emily Zurrer was named the Big Ten's Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday. Zurrer earned the award for the third time in her career after anchoring an Illinois defense that shutout No. 9 Florida, 1-0.

Zurrer played on the back line the entire game as the Illini allowed the Gators just five shots. Before visiting Champaign, Florida had scored at least two goals in three of its last four matches. The Vancouver, B.C., native also added a shot on goal in the contest and currently has two goals this season.

In 2006, Zurrer became the first non-goalkeeper to receive Player of the Week honors twice in one season, earning her first award on Sept. 11 after Illinois' back-to-back shutouts of Syracuse and then-No. 13 Auburn and picking up her second on Oct. 23 after another pair of shutouts against two nationally ranked opponents, then-No. 17 Purdue and then-No. 21 Indiana.

Zurrer and the Illini hit the road for the next two weeks, traveling to Kansas for a 5 p.m. match on Friday, Sept. 21 and then to Indiana State on Sunday, Sept. 23 for a 1 p.m. match. The Orange and Blue will open Big Ten play on Friday, Sept. 28 at Ohio State at 6:30 p.m. and round out the weekend at Penn State on Sunday, Sept. 30 at 2 p.m.