SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Sacramento Gold FC goalkeeper John Connolly was named the first Mitre National Player of the Week for the 2015 National Premier Soccer League season.

Connolly played a stellar game in goal on Saturday as the Gold topped the SF Stompers 3-0.  He came away with the clean sheet despite facing an incredible 15 shots.  At least three of his saves were 1 v 1 opportunities with his best coming as a reflex save early in the game.  Each save kept the momentum in Sacramento's hands and kept the Stompers off the scoreboard.  

In his senior year at LIU, Conolly started nine games with a goals against average of 1.17 and a save percentage of 0.776. He totaled 38 saves while recording a 3-5-1 record.

He played for the NPSL's Brooklyn Italians from 2011-2013, where he was a regular with the team.  He started in goal for the team's playoff loss in 2013.

Connolly then moved to California, where he joined the Gold after a successful tryout.  He soon became the starting keeper and led the Gold to the Golden Gate Conference and West Region titles in 2014.