By: Jeff Evans, Assistant AD for Athletic Communications
BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Freshman winger
Jose Perez contributed seven points in the WWU opening week of Great Northwest Athletic Conference play to earn the conference Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Perez, a true freshman from Tieton in the Yakima Valley and product of the Seattle Sounders Academy, recorded a brace in the 4-0 home win over Saint Martin's in the GNAC opener on Thursday and scored the game-winning goal in Saturday's 2-1 victory over defending conference champion Western Oregon.
During the Vikings current 4-game winning streak, Perez has scored four goals with two game-winning scores. After starting the season 0-4-2 against a tough non-conference slate, WWU has rebounded to level the overall record at 4-4-2 and is in first place in the GNAC standings with a 6-point start to the conference season.
Perez has started all 10 games and has chipped in a pair of assists to start his collegiate career for 10 points to tie for 3rd in the GNAC. This is the first GNAC Player of the Week award for Perez and the second by a Viking in as many weeks with senior
Joar Tidblom also receiving the offensive award last week following his hat trick vs. DBU.
"It was a great week for Jose. He is getting more comfortable with college soccer and is really developing with off-the-ball movements in the offensive and defensive moments of the game," said WWU head coach
Greg Brisbon. "Jose has very good instincts in the final third and has the ability to score from many different situations."
WWU (4-4-2, 2-0-0 GNAC) takes its four-game winning streak on the road playing at Northwest Nazarene on Thursday in Nampa, Idaho (4 pm MT) and rival Seattle Pacific at Interbay Stadium on Saturday (7 pm). The complete 2025 schedule can be viewed online via
wwuvikings.com/25_MSOC.
