LAS VEGAS – UTEP soccer standouts midfielder Zeta McDannels (Offensive Player of the Week) and forward Haylee Lancaster (Freshman of the Week) have both been recognized by the Mountain West, the league office announced Monday.
 
It marks the first time since 2022 that multiple Miners have claimed a weekly accolade in a single week.  McDannels becomes the initial UTEP student-athlete to win a soccer Offensive Player of the Week since 2018 (Lauren Crenshaw, CUSA, 9/3/18). It is the first career weekly award for both McDannels and Lancaster.
 
The duo both had big weeks to help the Miners (6-0-2) post a pair of 2-1 road wins and remain undefeated on the season. McDannels accounted for three of UTEP's four goals in the contests while Lancaster registered a game-winning assist and a game-winning goal as the Orange and Blue swept a road trip for the first time in a decade.
 
"Both Zeta and Haylee embody the West Texas toughness that has become part of our team's identity," UTEP head coach Gibbs Keeton said. "Our entire team utilizes it as #toughenergy, and it is fueling our performances and specifically the road trip last week."
 
McDannels registered her first career brace (69', 73') to fuel UTEP's 2-1 come-from-behind victory at UTRGV on Sept. 10. It marked the initial brace in the second half by a Miner since 2017.
 
The Lubbock, Texas, native took three shots on the week, finding the back of the net three times. Her efforts helped UTEP extend its longest undefeated streak to begin a campaign since the 2005 NCAA tournament team (14-0-1) and third-best ever in program history (12-0, 2002). The Miners also swept a road trip for the first time in a decade.
 
"Zeta has been on a mission since last fall to impact games through scoring," Keeton said. "Her relentless work ethic and 'never going to stop' mentality are starting to show on game day. The team is seeing the rewards of that commitment, and her ability to score and impact games has been contagious."
 
Lancaster set up McDannels' match winner (73') in the 2-1 rally at UTRGV on Sept. 10. She followed that up by coming up with a steal and rocketing in a goal for the match decider in the 2-1 triumph at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Sept. 13. She took six shots on the week, including four on target, to help power the offense.  
 
"Haylee has been an impressive newcomer with extremely high competitive drive and the ability to be dangerous on the dribble and anywhere in and around the box," Keeton said. "Her objectives are simple — impact the game every time she steps on the field, especially on Sundays."
 
UTEP will look to keep sizzling when it plays at I-10 rival NM State at 7 p.m. MT Thursday.
 

---

     
For complete coverage of UTEP women's soccer, be sure to follow the Miners on social media at @UTEPSoccer (Twitter), @utepminerssoccer (Instagram) and on Facebook or visit the official home of UTEP Athletics at UTEPMiners.com.