OXFORD, Ohio -- Coming off of a terrific defensive performance where Belo Bitencourt helped lead a Shawnee State defense that pitched a clean sheet against the No. 20-ranked team in the country in Milligan (Tenn.), Shawnee State senior defender Belo Bitencourt has been named the River States Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for the second time in his career, as announced by conference officials Monday afternoon.

Bitencourt, a senior captain and Second-Team All-RSC honoree in 2024, helped Shawnee State score its second-ever victory against a ranked opponent in program history and defeat its first ranked opponent since 2013 while scoring the program's biggest win in its history by playing all 90 minutes in a 1-0 victory over No. 20 Milligan.

Bitencourt has played all 270 minutes of action so far in 2024, and on Saturday, helped Shawnee State post a 9-8 shot advantage while holding Milligan to just two shots on goal over the entire game. He was among a stingy defense that didn't allow the Buffaloes to record a shot on goal over the final 26 minutes of the 1-0 triumph.

The win is SSU's first over a ranked foe since defeating No. 22 Campbellsville, 2-1, on October 19, 2013. Milligan is 32-4-9 over the last two seasons, has won the AAC in back-to-back years and was the 2023 NAIA National Runner-Up in the sport of men's soccer.

For more information on the Shawnee State men's soccer program, visit https://ssubears.com/sports/mens-soccer or visit https://www.instagram.com/ssumsoc.