This is Diaz Barragan’s fourth time earning the honor
ST LOUIS – For the fourth time in his collegiate career, senior forward Nacho Diaz Barragan captured Missouri Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors on Tuesday.
In the first week of the 2024 season, the forward from Almeria, Spain exploded for three goals in two games. After missing the second half of the 2023 season with a meniscus injury, Diaz Barragan returned to the pitch in fine form against Bellarmine and Memphis. He scored the game-winning goal for the Aces against Bellarmine in the 71st minute as junior defender Nacho Diaz-Caneja’s (Coruna Spain / Oregon State) cross near the left sideline found Diaz Barragan’s head near the back post for the go-ahead goal.
Diaz Barragan also recorded his first brace of the season on Sunday evening in Memphis. Against the Tigers, the forward scored two straight goals in the 62nd and 73rd minutes. Diaz Barragan found his way around the Tigers goalkeeper after an initial blocked shot in the 62nd minute for his first unassisted goal of the season.
Just 11 minutes later Diaz Barragan scored his third goal of the season as fifth-year forward Kai Phillip took a free kick from the right line of the penalty area. Phillip’s free kick found Diaz Barragan just past the penalty arc where he buried the cross with his right foot into the bottom right corner of the net.
With three goals and six points in two games, Diaz Barragan leads the MVC in goals per game (1.50) and total goals while being second in points per game (3.00), total points, and shot accuracy (83.3%). Along with leading the MVC, Diaz Barragan is fourth in the nation in total goals, 11th in shots on goal per game (2.50), and 17th in points per game (2.50).
This is the fourth time Diaz Barragan has been named the MVC Offensive Player of the Week and his first since 2022. He was formerly named MVC Player of the Week on August 30th, 2022; September 20th, 2022; and October 25th, 2022.
