No. 7 Maryland men’s soccer midfielder Ben Bender named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week

Sophomore midfielder Ben Bender of the No. 7 Maryland men’s soccer team was named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week, the conference announced Tuesday.

Bender is the only player on the Terrapins to have scored more than once on the season, scoring his second goal on a penalty kick against Virginia on Monday. His first goal was on Aug. 29, versus UMBC, a game in which he also tallied an assist.

This is Bender’s first player of the week nod in his career after bursting onto the scene with an All-Freshman Team and All-Big Ten Second Team caliber freshman season in the spring.

Bender started all 11 games for a depleted roster earlier this year during the spring season— scoring twice on 29 shot attempts — and thus far he has proved his breakout freshman season was no fluke, becoming an integral part of the midfield rotation and helping Maryland to a 4-0 start.

The Terps are rolling to start the season and Bender has been a huge part of that explosion back towards the forefront of the national spotlight. A huge test awaits Bender and the team, as they travel to Shaw Field to face the new No. 1 team in the country, Georgetown, on Sept. 11, at 1 p.m.