SAN DIEGO -- San DiegoState's Nick Cardenas (Thornton, Colo./Horizon HS) has been named the NSCAA National Player of the Week for the period of Oct. 23-29. Cardenas, a freshman, became the first Aztec to ever win the weekly award.

Cardenas also garnered Soccer America Team of the Week accolades on Wednesday, a day after being named the Pac-10 Player of the Week and two days after he was selected to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week. Cardenas joined senior Raul Bautista (Oct. 4) as the only San DiegoState players to be named to the Soccer America Team of the Week this season.

Cardenas, a defender, helped SDSU win two games over the weekend to clinch at least a tie for second in the Pac-10 by scoring two goals on four shots.

In the Aztecs' 3-1 win over No. 6 California, their second win over the Bears this season, Cardenas scored SDSU's first goal with a header off a cross from the left side. He outjumped Cal goalkeeper Justin Myers and knocked the ball into the net. The tally would have been the game-winner for the Aztecs, but the Bears scored in the final minutes on a penalty kick.

On Sunday, Cardenas collided with teammate Raul Bautista inside Stanford's box in the 26 th minute, forcing him to leave the game with a bad cut on his head. He returned to the game with a bandage at 78:34, and less than nine minutes later, headed in the game-winning goal in SDSU's 1-0 triumph over the Cardinal.

An early-October call up to the U.S. U-20 National Team Camp, Cardenas is third on the squad with five goals and 10 points. Cardenas has been instrumental in leading a defense which has allowed only eight goals in league play, tied for the lowest with Stanford.

The Aztecs, who are ranked No. 22 in the latest adidas/NSCAA poll, will travel to Los Angeles for a match against nationally ranked UCLA at 7 p.m. Friday.

Jamie McConeghy is San Diego State University's Assistant Media Relations Director.