Frederik Rieper was named the CAA rookie of the week. (Photo courtesy of Hofstra SID)

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Following a 2-0 start to the season, the Hofstra University men earned two Colonial Athletic Association awards with goalkeeper Alex Ashton taking home CAA Defensive Player of the Week accolades and defender Frederik Rieper securing CAA Rookie of the Week honors.

The awards were announced earlier Monday by the league office.

Ashton, a graduate student from Telford, England, recorded shutouts in wins over Fordham University and UMBC. Ashton recorded six saves in the Pride’s 1-0 season-opening victory over Fordham. He was called on to make one save in a 1-0 victory at UMBC Sunday night as the defense locked down the Retrievers’ offense. The shutouts were the 16th of Ashton’s career as he is tied for third on the Pride’s career shutout list.

Rieper has played a huge role in the Pride’s two wins, starting both games at center back. He has helped anchor a defense that has not allowed a goal and eight shots on goal over two games. The Aarhus, Denmark native also came up big on the offensive end, scoring the game’s lone goal at UMBC on a header off a corner kick.

Hofstra opens CAA action at James Madison University Friday night.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.