BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Western Washington University junior forward Audrey Holdridge earned the first GNAC Player of the Week award for the 2026 season, taking home offensive honors for her standout performance over the weekend.
 
Holdridge (Ferndale, WA) recorded a pair of goals in the Vikings season-opening 2-0 victory over Hawai'i Hilo, finding the back of the net in each half for her first career brace.
 
In the game against the Vulcans, Holdridge placed all three shots she took on frame and scored on two of them, as she was the key difference maker in the match. Spotting her team a 1-0 lead just before halftime, Holdridge touched home a high shot after a deflection in the 39th minute to start her season strong. She then bolstered the advantage with 10 minutes left to play, embarking on a long run with the ball, beating multiple defenders and smashing home a definitive strike to the back post.
 
"Audrey had a great weekend. She is playing with a log of confidence right now," said WWU head coach Travis Connell., "She looks goal-dangerous every time she gets the ball in the attacking half."
 
The Vikings (1-1-0) continue their early-season non-conference schedule this week traveling to Northern California for a pair of games. The trip opens Friday taking on Cal State Monterey Bay (0-0-0) Friday with a 7 pm match at Cardinale Stadium, home of the USL Monterey Bay FC of the USL Championship division. Western concludes the trip Monday facing Cal State East Bay (0-1-0) at the Oakland Roots Training Facility at 2 pm.