PROVIDENCE, R.I. (Sept. 4, 2006) ? The University of South Florida senior Kareem Smith was named the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week for the week ending Sept. 3, as announced by the league office today.

Smith anchored USF's defense this past week, helping the Bulls to a 1-1-0 record in the Duke/adidas Classic. The Hyde Park, Mass., native, who has played in every minute of every match during his four seasons at USF, made his 60th-consecutive start on Sunday. He guided the USF defense to its second shutout of the 2006 season with a 2-0 blanking of N.C. State on Friday. He then led a backline, which held one of the nation's most explosive offenses to just one goal in USF's 1-0 loss at Duke. Prior to that game, the Blue Devils had scored two goals in their first three game of the season. Smith was recognized by being named to the Duke/adidas Classic All-Tournament Team.

This marks the first BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week honor for Smith.

BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week
Aug. 28 ? Georgios Spanos, Sr., St. Johns
Sept. 4 ? Kareem Smith, Sr., USF
 
Goalkeeper Dane Brenner was also recognized by the conference by being named to the BIG EAST honor roll.

Brenner helped USF to a 1-1-0 record during the Duke/adidas Classic in Durham, N.C. this past weekend. The High Point, N.C., native recorded his second shutout of the season on Friday, holding the N.C. Wolfpack scoreless during USF's 2-0 victory. The clean sheet was the 14th of his career and marked his 29th-career victory in his 50th appearance in net for the Bulls. On Sept. 3, despite suffering his second loss of the season, Brenner held the Duke Blue Devils, which averaged four goals a game prior to Sunday's match to only one score (recorded on a rebound following a save). For his performance this past weekend, Brenner was named to the Duke/adidas Classic All-Tournament Team. 

A two-time BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week, Brenner earns his first conference honor of the season.