SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (September 21, 2026) – Western New England field hockey's Alex Tardugno has been awarded the CNE Defensive Player of the Week award for the second straight week after producing a clean sheet and a Conference of New England victory in a perfect 2-0 week. 

Tardugno opened the week by coming away with a career-high 23 saves in a 1-0 overtime victory against Keene State College in non-conference action. Tardugno stopped every shot faced in the 61:13 played, earning her third straight shutout for the Golden Bears. On Saturday afternoon, the WNE junior continued her dominance between the pipes, making 18 saves for the Golden Bears in a massive 3-1 victory over Roger Williams University in Conference of New England action. Tardugno had now allowed a goal in over 240 minutes of game action time before the Hawks struck for their only goal of the game in the fourth quarter. 

The Methuen, Massachusetts, native combined to make 41 saves on the week and led the Golden Bears to a pair of victories. Tardugno now owns a 0.66 goals-against average for the season and a .942 save percentage on the year. 

The Western New England field hockey team returns to action for three games this week, all on home turf, hosting Wheaton College (Mass.) on Monday, September 21, Springfield College on Wednesday, September 23, and Endicott College on Friday, September 25, to close out the week.