Zachary Herivuax joins Williams with Team of the Week Honors
PAWTUCKET, R.I. (Oct. 29, 2024) – Rhode Island FC forward JJ Williams has been voted USL Championship Player of the Week after his hat trick performance in the club’s record-setting 8-1 win against Miami FC on Saturday. Included in Williams’ trifecta of goals was the Ocean State club’s first-ever converted penalty and an assist to set up teammate Noah Fuson for the first goal of the night. The USL Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship. Williams earned 63 percent of the ballot to claim the award.
RIFC midfielder Zachary Herivuax was also named to the last week of the USL Championship regular season’s Team of the Week for his strong impact vs. Miami. The only other member of the roster to have been voted Player of the Week this season, Herivuax recorded a pair of assists in the victory, completing two of three dribbles while recording four interceptions and seven recoveries defensively.
Williams and Herivuax join seven other teammates who have earned multiple USL Championship Team of the Week honors in 2024.
Fuson and Williams combined in both the first and second goal of the match, marking the third time two RIFC players have collaborated for multiple goals in a single match this season, and the second time the duo has done so. The first connection came in the 10th minute when Williams picked the ball out in midair on the right wing and sent it down to Fuson who was ready in the 18-yard-box. The 2024 Rhode Island FC Player of the Year nailed the ball towards the goal as it deflected off a defender before finding its way into the back of the net for the early 1-0 lead. The pair’s second connection came six minutes later as Fuson parted the Miami defense to create a golden one-on-one opportunity for the Man of the Match. Willaims capitalized on the scoring chance to give RIFC a swift 2-0 lead.
Fuson and Williams continued to wreak havoc on the Miami defense as the match went on. In the 40th minute, Fuson drew a foul in the box, earning a penalty kick that Williams drilled home to make it 4-0.
William’s third and final score came just before the end of the first half when Herivuax played him a ball through the middle. Williams touched the pass around Miami goalkeeper Felipe Rodriguez and slotted it into the open net to complete the first hat trick in Rhode Island FC history. The Ocean State club went into the halftime break up 5-1, marking its highest-scoring half in club history.
Herivuax collected his first goal contribution in the 31st minute when his cross at the top of the six-yard-box connected perfectly with Marc Ybarra, who powered the ball through the net for his first goal of the year.
Jojea Kwizera and Fuson also received league honors by being named to the USL Championship reserve team. Kwizera closed the match by powering through the eighth and final goal of the match off a Jack Panayotuo assist. Fuson’s impressive performance included the opening goal of the match from Williams and the collection of his tenth assist of the year, earning himself the USL Championship 2024 Golden Playmaker Award for the most assists in the regular season.
Williams and Herivuax are the 24th and 25th Rhode Island FC honorees named to the USL Championship’s Team of the Week in 2024:
| WEEK | DATE | NAME | HONOR |
| 2 | March 19 | Clay Holstad | Team of the Week |
| 3 | March 26 | Albert Dikwa | Team of the Week |
| 5 | April 9 | Jackson Lee | Team of the Week |
| 6 | April 16 | Jackson Lee | Team of the Week |
| 7 | April 23 | Khano Smith | Coach of the Week |
| 7 | April 23 | Stephen Turnbull | Team of the Week |
| 12 | May 28 | Koke Vegas | Team of the Week |
| 16 | June 25 | Khano Smith | Coach of the Week |
| 16 | June 25 | Stephen Turnbull | Team of the Week |
| 16 | June 25 | Jojea Kwizera | Team of the Week |
| 17 | July 2 | Jojea Kwizera | Team of the Week |
| 18 | July 9 | Frank Nodarse | Team of the Week |
| 18 | July 9 | Marc Ybarra | Team of the Week |
| 19 | July 16 | Albert Dikwa | Team of the Week |
| 20 | July 23 | Zachary Herivaux | Player of the Week |
| 21 | July 30 | Frank Nodarse | Team of the Week |
| July | Aug. 7 | Khano Smith | Coach of the Month |
| 25 | Aug. 27 | Koke Vegas | Team of the Week |
| 26 | Sept. 3 | Stephen Turnbull | Team of the Week |
| 29 | Sept. 24 | Noah Fuson | Team of the Week |
| 30 | Oct. 1 | Clay Holstad | Team of the Week |
| 30 | Oct. 1 | Albert Dikwa | Team of the Week |
| 30 | Oct. 1 | Jojea Kwizera | Team of the Week |
| 31 | Oct. 8 | JJ Williams | Team of the Week |
| 34 | Oct. 29 | JJ Williams | Player of the Week |
| 34 | Oct. 29 | Zachary Herivaux | Team of the Week |
Up next, Rhode Island FC travels to Indy Eleven on Sunday, Nov. 3, for the club’s first-ever playoff match. Kickoff time and broadcast information for the match will be announced at a later date. Fans can join in rooting on the Ocean State club at the Official Rhode Island FC Watch Party at The Thirsty Beaver Hometown Pub & Grub in Smithfield.