ST. LOUIS - Bradley junior forward Jochen Graf (Double Oak, Texas/Faustina Academy) is the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week, according to an announcement from the league office Monday afternoon, and the Braves are gaining national attention for their hot start this season.
Graf was named to the Dartmouth Classic All-Tournament Team Sunday after leading the Braves (4-0-2) to a runner-up finish in the four-team tournament. The junior striker scored the game-winning goal Friday night in Bradley's 2-1 upset of then No. 8 South Florida, recording the fastest "Golden Goal" in Braves history by scoring just 35 seconds into overtime. Friday's goal was Graf's first career game-winner.
Graf becomes the second Brave to earn Valley Offensive Player-of-the-Week honors this season, following senior forward Bryan Gaul, who was the Week 1 winner.
Aided by Graf's game-winner Friday night, Bradley continues to climb in the national rankings. The Braves have climbed five more places in the TopDrawerSoccer.com Tournament 48 National Rankings to #18, while also climbing into the CollegeSoccerNews.com Top 30 National Poll for the first time this season at #27. Although the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, Soccer America magazine and SoccerTimes.com have yet to release their national polls this week, Bradley also has jumped up to #2 in the NSCAA Midwest Region poll.
Bradley is unbeaten through six games for the first time since the 2002 Braves went 11-0-4 through their first 15 games and the current squad has made a statement during its start. Five of Bradley's first six opponents this season were unbeaten at the time of the game. Bradley's season-opening, 4-1 win at Butler remains the Bulldogs' only loss in their last 24 regular-season games (20-1-3) dating back to Oct. 31, 2009. Similarly, prior to Friday's 2-1 win against USF, the Bulls were 21-1-4 in their last 26 regular-season games against non-Big East Conference schools dating back to a 1-0 loss at Duke Sept. 3, 2006.
Bradley will be put to the test again Friday night when the Braves face their sixth unbeaten opponent of the season, Memphis (4-0-1), during the opening day of the Hotels at Grand Prairie Classic in a 7 p.m. scheduled kickoff at Shea Stadium. The Tigers begin the week ranked No. 8 in the NSCAA Midwest Region poll. The Braves also will host Loyola-Chicago in Sunday afternoon's tournament finale.
