INDIANAPOLIS -- Roman Khela (Huddersfield, England) and Katai Mukuka (Lusaka, Zambia) of the Northern Illinois University men's soccer team have been selected as the Under Armour Horizon League Men's Soccer Players of the Week. Khela is the league's Defensive Player of the Week while Mukuka earned Offensive Player of the Week honors. 

NIU topped Northern Kentucky, 3-0, on Saturday (Oct. 3) to move into a tie for first place in the Horizon League standings with Milwaukee on 10 points at 3-1-1, one point ahead of third-place Oakland. 

Khela played the full 90 minutes along the backline for the Huskies as they allowed just seven total shots, and one on target, against Northern Kentucky. The Huddersfield, England, native also recorded an assist on Tomasz Slawek's (Crystal Lake, Ill./Crystal Lake South) goal against the Norse. The assist is the sixth of the season for the NIU defender, which is tied for ninth-best nationally, and second among defenders. 

The six assists are also the most by a Huskie defender in a season since current member of Minnesota United Anthony Markanich recorded nine during the 2021 campaign. 

Mukuka recorded a goal and an assist in the win over Northern Kentucky, tallying his first assist of the season on Vance Sheffield's (West Linn, Ore./La Salle Catholic College Prep) opening goal before second the second goal of the contest, his third of the season. 

Khela and Mukuka are the second and third Huskies to earn Horizon League weekly honors, joining Slawek who was named Defensive Player of the Week on Sept. 14. 

NIU will return to action on Wednesday, Oct. 7, when the Huskies host Detroit Mercy. Kickoff against the Titans is scheduled for 3 p.m., and admission to all Huskie soccer matches is free of charge.