TAMPA, Fla. — Texas United forward Julio Vargas has been named the PDL National Player of the Week in Week 3 after recording four goals in two huge wins for the Mid South Division club.

Vargas was a key component of Texas United’s hot start to the season in its opening two matches. The forward scored the opener of Texas’ 5-0 season-opening rout of FC Cleburne - adding a second later in the second half - and also scored the second and third, game-winning goals on the road against 2017 division winners OKC Energy U23.

Here’s a look at the full PDL National Team of the Week in Week 3.

GK - Giovani Rello, Black Rock FC: In the club’s inaugural match, Rello was a force in net, racking up a Save of the Week nomination and the first clean sheet - and win - in team history.
D - John Freitag, Lansing United: Freitag displayed why he was featured in the first Top Prospects list of the season, playing stout defense in one of two Lansing United shutout victories in Week 3.
D - Alex Touche, Albuquerque Sol FC: In the two Sol FC wins this past week, Touche made two appearances, including playing the full match and scoring a goal in a 2-1 result against Ogden City SC.
D - Richard Bryan, Mississippi Brilla FC: In addition to helping Brilla FC pitch a shutout for the club’s first win of 2018, Bryan got involved offensively by scoring the team’s second goal of the night.
M - Jesus Perez, Chicago FC United: In the club’s 2-0, season-opening win over Kaw Valley FC, Perez’s play in midfield proved vital, including a rocket strike that earned him a Goal of the Week nomination.
M - Gabriel Quesada, Corpus Christi FC: Quesada continues to impress for Corpus Christi, scoring the opener and the game-winning third against FC Cleburne this past week, bringing his total to three.
M - Gio Magana-Rivera, Portland Timbers U23: Near the end of what seemed destined to be a scoreless draw, Magana-Rivera created a bit of magic with his stunning bender into the top-right corner to give the Timbers U23 their first win of the year.
M - James Ellis, Lionsbridge FC: Ellis shined in midfield in Lionsbridge FC’s first ever win, knocking in two of the team’s five goals in a rout of Evergreen FC in front of the home crowd.
F - Nazeem Bartman, Myrtle Beach Mutiny: The Mutiny bounced back from a season-opening defeat with a 6-0 obliteration of the Carolina Dynamo, in which Bartman picked up a pair of goals up top.
F - DeJuan Jones, Lansing United: Jones shined again for Lansing United, picking up a goal and assist in a pair of shutout wins, bringing him to three total goals and one assist on the season.
F - Julio Vargas, Texas United: Vargas was the brightest star of the week, racking up an astounding four goals for Texas United in a pair of huge wins to start the year.

Honorable Mentions: M - Miguel Timm, Myrtle Beach Mutiny; D - Daniel Fabian, Western Mass Pioneers; M - Bruno Henrique, Lakeland Tropics; F - David Goldsmith, Michigan Bucks; F - Santiago Patino, Sounders FC U23; F - Griffin Dorsey, Colorado Rapids U23; D - Sam Raben, Colorado Rapids U23; D - Daniel Krutzen, Reading United AC; M - Matt Bentley, GPS Portland Phoenix; M - John Murphy, New York Red Bulls U23; GK - Pablo Jara, South Georgia Tormenta FC