ALFRED, NY – Alfred University's Kiani Barnard-Pratt (Westford, MA/Westford Academy) picked up her third Empire 8 Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for 2023 on Monday afternoon, in an announcement by Associate Commissioner, Joe Venniro.
 
She has earned the award in back-to-back weeks as well as earning Co-Defensive Player of the Week on September 18. It's her fourth career awarding of the honor. The sophomore is just one away from joining just 11 other Saxons to have earned E8 Weekly Honors five or more times.
 
Barnard-Pratt helped AU pick up the upset win on Saturday during the First Round of the Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Tournament as the #6 seeded Saxons passed the #3 Pioneers of Utica University on penalty kicks. Before Saturday's win, Barnard-Pratt had nine saves in a 2-0 loss to the E8 Regular Season Champions, Nazareth University. On Saturday, she made 13 saves during the 110 minutes of play to keep the game at 0-0 to go to PK's. During penalty kicks, she made two great saves to set teammate, Lina Young (North Collins, NY/North Collins) up for the game-winning penalty kick.
 
Barnard-Pratt was joined in the Empire 8 listings by Mia Spencer (Omaha, NE/Omaha Central) as the Women's Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week. Barnard-Pratt and men's swimming & diving's Emiliano Terrazas (La Paz, Bolivia/Saint Andrew's) were the Saxons of the Week.