Paulos-Negatu Earns First Career CCC Player of the Week Honor

8/24/2026 4:51:00 PM

By: Brandon Stinson: Assistant AD for Athletic Communications

CORVALLIS, Ore. - Following an excellent performance in goal against a pair of top-10 opponents, redshirt sophomore Biruk Paulos-Negatu has been named the Cascade Collegiate Conference Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

Paulos-Negatu, a goalkeeper from Ethiopia, played all 180 minutes across two matches, surrendering just one goal while making eight saves to lead the Battlin' Bears to an undefeated 1-0-1 weekend against premier NAIA competition. He anchored Rocky's defense in an early-season statement victory over preseason No. 1 Grand View University, then followed up with a standout six-save clean sheet in a 0-0 draw against No. 7-ranked William Penn.

With the Player of the Week nod, Paulos-Negatu becomes just the fourth Battlin' Bear to earn CCC Player of the Week honors since 2022. He is also the second Defensive Player of the Week recipient since current Head Coach Milo Downey earned the award as a player in April 2021, and the eighth player in program history to earn it.

The Battlin' Bears will look to continue a strong non-conference slate, taking on Mount Mercy in Iowa on Tuesday evening.

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