For the second time this season, Francis Marion University junior goalkeeper Erin Grabeel has been named the Conference Carolinas women's soccer Defensive Player of the Week, this time for the week of Sept. 22-28.

A native of Gordonville, Va., Grabeel did not allow a goal in two matches last week to run her scoreless streak in goal to 374:15, covering the last five matches.  During her 180 minutes on the field last week, she recorded three saves.

Her week began with a 1-0 road shutout win over 23rd-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University.  She posted two saves, including a point-blank stop late in the first half that kept the match scoreless, and a 75th minute stop to preserve the win.  She then helped blank Converse University 1-0 by making one save.

Her five shutouts this season rank second nationally, and she has eight complete-match shutouts in her short two-year stint with the Patriots.  Her 2025 season goals against average of 0.333 ranks 11th nationally and leads the conference.

Grabeel has helped FMU to a 6-0-0 record, as the Patriots are one of only four unbeaten and untied teams left in Division II women's soccer.

She also earned this weekly award for the opening week of the 2025 season, as well as once last season.  A Francis Marion player has garnered the defensive award three of the four weeks this season.

FMU will play at Barton College on Wednesday at 4 p.m., before returning home to host Young Harris College on Saturday at 1 p.m. for Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

Grabeel, a mechanical engineering major, is a graduate of the Shattuck-St. Mary's School in Faribault, Minn.


        Erin Grabeel