SAN BRUNO, Calif. – Joe Highfield became the fourth consecutive Portland Pilot to claim the WCC Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week this season, while San Francisco’s Matthew Duggan claimed the Defensive Player of the Week honor for the first time in 2026. Conference-leading Portland has also garnered the Offensive Player of the Week accolade in five of 11 weeks this season.
WEST COAST CONFERENCE MEN’S SOCCER OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – JOE HIGHFIELD, SR., F – PORTLAND
Joe Highfield played a big role in each of Portland’s goals in a 4-1 win at Pacific – scoring twice and tallying two assists – as the Pilots improved their win streak to nine and posted a 7-0-0 WCC mark for the first time. His first assist set up David Ajagbe for the game-winning goal. This marked Highfield’s third match with a brace and his second game with at least two assists this season. The forward now has seven goals and eight assists in WCC play and 10 goals and 11 assists overall. Highfield is the first Pilot to record at least 10 goals and 10 assists in a season since Jim Clarke in 1993, and his seven goals and eight assists in WCC play are the second most of any WCC player this season in both categories. Highfield’s 31 points are the most by any Pilot since Brandon Cambridge in 2022.
Also nominated: Steven Ramirez, San Diego; Luke Schultz, Denver
WEST COAST CONFERENCE MEN’S SOCCER DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – MATTHEW DUGGAN, SR., D – SAN FRANCISCO
Matthew Duggan's efforts helped USF earn the only shutout in the WCC last week, as the Dons upended Loyola Marymount 2-0 in Los Angeles. Since Duggan's season debut last week, the Dons have not been scored on when he's been on the field. Duggan came back three games ago from ACL surgery and the captain has been a difference maker on both sides of the field. He helped fight off an aggressive LMU offensive attack in the second half of Saturday night's game, with the Lions recording seven of their eight shots and both of their shots on goal in the final 45 minutes.
Also nominated: Lucca Adams, San Diego; Nikos Clarke-Tosczak, Portland; Alex Hohl, Denver
2026 West Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Players of the Week
August 24: Steven Ramirez, San Diego
August 31: Nico Ruiz, San Francisco
September 7: Alex Notzka, Seattle U
September 14: Taj Eagleston, San Diego
September 21: David Raphael, San Francisco
September 28: David Ajagbe, Portland
October 5: Alex Notzka, Seattle U
October 12: David Ajagbe, Portland
October 19: Alex Waggoner, Portland
October 26: Diego Rosas, Portland
November 2: Joe Highfield, Portland
2026 West Coast Conference Men’s Soccer Defensive Players of the Week
August 24: Ky Mani Dade, LMU
August 31: William Krause, San Francisco
September 7: Ismail Nieves, LMU
September 14: Luca Fava, San Diego
September 21: Ritvik Karra, Portland
September 28: Ritvik Karra, Portland
October 5: Efetobo Aror, Portland
October 12: Jackson Ozburn, Santa Clara
October 19: Jackson Ozburn, Santa Clara
October 26: Miguel-Angel Hernandez, Portland
November 2: Matthew Duggan, San Francisco