New York, N.Y. – Three Wildcats earned BIG EAST Weekly honors, freshman forward Toni Minichello earned Freshman of the Week, and junior forward Amanda Middleman and junior back Sabine de Ruijter make it onto BIG EAST honor roll.
 
Minichello had her first collegiate goal to contribute to the 5-1 win in the Wildcats season opener against LIU on Friday Aug. 26.
 
Minichello is amongst the 10 newcomers to join the Wildcat family this year and has already showed a lot of promise for the season ahead. Minichello scored off a corner late in the fourth quarter assisted by the sophomore midfield duo of Anne Drabbe and Raina Smolij. This is the West Pittston (Pa.) native's first collegiate and BIG EAST recognition which the Wildcats hope to see more of coming her way this season.
 
Middleman and de Ruijter also had impressive performances over the Wildcats opening weekend. The pair of juniors earned BIG EAST honors of their own, both making it onto the conference honor roll.
 
De Ruijter had the first season goal off a stroke early in the first quarter and a defensive save in the third quarter against LIU. She scored again, this time, off a corner against Fairfield.
 
Middleman drew her second career hat trick in the first game against LIU and scored her fourth goal of the season against Fairfield the following game. Both goals were game-winners driving home the Wildcats victory on the weekend. Middleman is the 14th player in Villanova history to have at least 2 career hat tricks. 
 
The Wildcats conclude their opening weekend with a 2-0 record and look forward to the season ahead. The Wildcats will be back in action at the Proving Grounds on Friday Sep. 2 at 1pm to face off against the Pride of Hofstra University.