The South Atlantic Conference announced its WePlayed Sports Men’s Soccer Players of the Week for games played in during the third week of the 2023 season. Lincoln Memorial’s Daniel Burko was named the Offensive Player of the Week while Tusculum’s Nicolas Leite was named the Defensive Player of the Week.

Burko, a sophomore from Løvenstad, Norway, had a dominant performance against King University, scoring the game’s first five goals, all in the first half. He tied the Lincoln Memorial record for goals scored in a home game, leading the No. 22 Railsplitters to an emphatic 8-0 victory.

Leite, a junior from Santo Andre, Brazil, made five saves in two matches as the Pioneers defeated Belmont Abbey 3-1 and Coker 2-0 last week. In the win over Coker, Leite had three saves for his fourth shutout of the season, which dealt the No. 16 Cobras their first regular-season loss in more than a year. This is Leite’s second Defensive Player of the Week award this season.

2023 SAC Men’s Soccer Players of the Week

Offensive

Sept. 7 – Peter Plougmand, Mars Hill

Sept. 12 – Pablo Pozos, Wingate

Sept. 19 – Daniel Burko, Lincoln Memorial

Defensive

Sept. 7 – Nicolas Leite, Tusculum

Sept. 12 – Juan Basabe, Lenoir-Rhyne

Sept. 19 – Nicolas Leite, Tusculum