Briggs Named B1G Offensive Player of the Week; Spartans Now No. 1

East Lansing, Mich. -- Senior Kayla Briggs (Toronto, Ontario) has been named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Tuesday (Sept. 14).

The midfielder had a six-point week to open Big Ten play, the most points of any player in the league. She had two goals and two assists to total six points, with the game-winning goal in each contest vs. USC and No. 16 UCLA.   The opening-weekend sweep has pushed the Spartans to No. 1 in the IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches poll this week.

Briggs shares the team lead in all three offensive categories with Kennedy Bell, (5-3-13), and the duo is tied for third in the Big Ten in points.   Each of Briggs' five goals this season have been the first goal of the game for MSU. Sunday's was her fourth game-winner of the season and ninth of her career, moving her into a tie for eighth place with Bella Najera in the Spartan career record book. She has goals in each of the last three MSU games. Briggs scored eight goals in 25 games a year ago, her first season in Green & White. She is more than halfway to that total in eight games this season. In 32 games in her Spartan career, Briggs has 36 points (13 goals, 10 assists).

MSU has been among the top five in the United Soccer Coaches poll in every playing week this season, with a high of No. 3 on Aug. 25 after defeating No 12/7 Colorado. The Green and White has earned wins over three teams ranked in the top 16 of the IWSOC poll this season, as well as a win and a tie over teams receiving votes in the national poll. The Spartans have arguably the most difficult schedule in the nation to this point of the season and boast a 6-0-2 mark with road victories at No. 7 North Carolina and No. 16 UCLA.

This is the second time in three years that MSU has held the No. 1 spot in the United Soccer Coaches survey. The Spartans earned their first-ever No. 1 ranking on Sept. 24, 2024 after a pair of top-15 non-conference wins and a 1-0 road shutout at No. 9 Penn State.

Michigan State returns home this Sunday for its first game at DeMartin Stadium since Aug. 30. The Spartans will take on Michigan on Sunday afternoon at 1 pm. Tickets for all remaining home games can be purchased online through the Spartan ticket office at sprtns.co/WSOC26tix.

Michigan State University Athletics

Briggs Named B1G Offensive Player of the Week; Spartans Now No. 1

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Players Mentioned

Kennedy Bell

Kayla Briggs

Bella Najera

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