Hempstead, NY - Following a 2-0 start to the season, the Hofstra University men's soccer team picked up a pair of Colonial Athletic Association awards with goalkeeper Alex Ashton taking home CAA Defensive Player of the Week accolades and defender Frederik Rieper earning CAA Rookie of the Week honors. The awards were announced today by the league office. 

Ashton, a graduate student from Telford, England, notched a pair of shutouts in wins over Fordham and UMBC. Ashton recorded six saves in the Pride's 1-0 season-opening victory over Fordham. He was only called on to make one save in a 1-0 victory at UMBC Sunday night as the Hofstra defense locked down the Retriever's offense. The shutouts were the 16th of Ashton's career and he now is tied for third on the Pride's career shutout list.

Rieper has played a huge role in the Pride's two wins, starting both games at center back. He has helped anchor a defense that has not allowed a goal and just eight shots on goal over two games. The Aarhus, Denmark, native also came up big on the offensive end, scoring the game's lone goal at UMBC on a header off a corner kick.

Hofstra returns to action Friday night when it opens CAA play at James Madison.