RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) announced on Tuesday that junior Tobias Buch of The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros men's soccer team is the OVC Defensive Player of the Week.
 
Buch anchored a stout UTRGV backline for a career-high 90 minutes in UTRGV's 0-0 draw against the reigning OVC regular season and tournament champions on Saturday.
 
Buch helped UTRGV earn its first point as a member of the OVC while extending the Vaqueros' unbeaten streak against Lindenwood to three matches (1-0-2).
 
Alongside Buch, sophomore Emmanuel Gore Bi, and freshman Victor van der Aa limited Lindenwood, which leads the OVC in shots and shots on goal, to its second-lowest totals of the season in both shots (8) and shots on goal (3).
 
Buch is the second Vaquero to earn OVC Player of the Week honors this season after junior Elias Taj was named OVC Offensive Player of the Week on Sept. 8.
 
The Vaqueros have posted two clean sheets this season, allowing just four combined shots on goal in those matches.
 
UTRGV will continue a three-match homestand on Thursday when it hosts Houston Christian at 6:30 p.m. at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex. All matches at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex are free and open to the public.
 
UTRGV Athletics has a clear bag policy for spectators attending all athletic events hosted by UTRGV. You can get all the details here.
 
Fans can watch live domestically on ESPN+ or internationally via Southland International. Fans can also follow along through live stats.
 
UTRGV Men's Soccer's 2026 OVC Weekly Awards 
Elias Taj, OVC Offensive Player of the Week, Sept. 8
Tobias Buch, OVC Defensive Player of the Week, Sept. 29
 
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