COLORADO SPRINGS – Fort Lewis College goalkeeper Christine Schmelzle was named Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week today, RMAC Assistant Commissioner Sarah Meier announced today.

“This is well deserved,” said fourth year Skyhawk head women's soccer coach Damian Clarke. “She came up big in both games and shutouts kind of speak for themselves.”

Schmelzle, a senior from Coconino High School in Flagstaff, Ariz., posted shutouts in each of Fort Lewis' first two matches of the season against St. Cloud St. (a 1-0 win on Friday, Sept. 3) and Augustana (a 1-0 double overtime win on Sunday, Sept. 5). She made three saves, including a pair of the spectacular variety, against the Huskies and two saves in the double overtime victory over the Vikings.

Schmelzle, known as “Cricket” to her teammates, was a Preseason All-RMAC selection. The shutouts were the 12th and 13th of her Skyhawk career. The award marked the second time that Schmelzle has earned RMAC Player of the Week honors. She previously received the conference recognition on Sept. 1, 2009.

Schmelzle was also previously chosen as Most Valuable Player of RMAC Tournament, second team All-RMAC, Division II Athletic Directors Association Academic Achievement Award recipient and RMAC All-Academic second team as a junior in 2009.

The Skyhawks (2-0 overall) are ranked No. 14 in the latest NSCAA/HendrickCars.com NCAA Division II rankings. They return to action with games at West Texas A&M at 6 p.m. (MST) Friday at The Pitch and at Eastern New Mexico at 11 a.m. Sunday at the ENMU Soccer Field.