(Arlington, Texas – Oct. 3, 2023) Gracie Kntuzen has been named TicketSmarter WAC Women's Soccer Defender of the Week, the conference office announced on Tuesday. Tuesday's announcement marks the first WAC weekly award in Knutzen's Utah Tech career.
 
The Mapleton, Utah, native started and played every single minute across two games against California Baptist and Grand Canyon over the weekend. Against CBU on Thursday, Utah Tech's defense held the Lancers below their season average of six shots on goal per game, and that momentum carried into a huge defensive effort against GCU on Sunday.
 
Knutzen made an early impact against the Lopes, redirecting a corner kick into the path of Brynlee Rider who scored to put Utah Tech ahead 1-0 just 25 minutes into the game. Sunday's assist was her first of the season and second as a Trailblazer.
 
With Knutzen captaining the back line, Utah Tech blocked seven Grand Canyon shots in the second half alone to finish with nine total, holding GCU to just one goal despite the team entering Sunday's contest with an average of 1.9 per game. In the process, Utah Tech also held forward Gianna Gourley scoreless; Gourley entered this weekend's game as the conference-leader in goals scored with 13 - a mark that also ranked among the top-five in the entire country. 
 
A Second Team All-WAC selection after the 2022 campaign, Knutzen and co. are headed to Texas this weekend for games against SFA and UTRGV.