COLORADO SPRINGS, CO – Junior Avery Richardson opened the season with a pair of shutout victories for the Roberts Wesleyan University Field Hockey team and has been recognized by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) with it's weekly Division II Defensive Player of the Week award.

In addition, sophomore Makena Tooley was named as an Honorable Mention selection for the Offensive Player of the Week award. Tooley scored both goals for the Redhawks including the overtime winner in the 1-0 win over Molloy.

Richardson, and the Roberts defense held both Mercy University and Molloy University without a goal as the Redhawks posted a pair of 1-0 win including one in overtime, to start the season with a perfect 2-0 record.

The junior goalie that has been listed among the national leaders for saves per game for the past two seasons, made five saves in the two games for Roberts.

The national honor is the first for the Roberts Field Hockey program that is starting its third season of varsity play and will compete in the East Coast Conference starting in 2026.

The squad is home for the next two games with a home contest against St. Thomas Aquinas at 6 p.m. Friday and at 12 p.m. Sunday against Indiana University of Pennsylvania. Both games are on Redhawks Turf Field.