OXFORD, Ohio -- Behind her strong play at the center back position, Shawnee State sophomore Jelena Krpan has been named as the River States Conference's Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by River States Conference officials Monday afternoon.

Krpan helped Shawnee State claim a 25-19 shot advantage in Shawnee State's 1-1 week and has provided excellent communication to a backline that continues to improve.

Shawnee State was outshot by an average of nearly eight shots per contest en route to suffering a 244-118 shot disadvantage in 2024, but in 2025, the Bears have closed that differential to being outshot by just two pulls per contest -- as Krpan has led a defense that has lowered its shots per game allowed from 15.3 in 2024 to 11.5 so far in 2025.

Krpan, along with fellow sophomore Isabelle Riddle and freshman Abby Kennedy, are the only players in the Shawnee State lineup to play all 360 minutes this season in Shawnee State's first four matches of the year.

For more information, visit the Shawnee State women's soccer page at https://ssubears.com/sports/womens-soccer or https://www.instagram.com/ssuwsoccer/.