E8 Athletes of the Week: Feb. 24
The Empire 8 swimming and diving championships were filled with season best times, indoor track and field athletes broke school records and the basketball regular season came to a close resulting in some of the athletic performance to date. Those earning weekly honors include....
Men’s Basketball Player – Stevens
Matt Skrelja, Senior, Guard – Clark, NJ/Clark
In two games this past week, Matt Skrelja was a collective 15-of-22 (.682) from the field for 38 points and also had 11 rebounds and 12 assists. He scored 18 points in Tuesday’s loss at Hartwick and then contributed a team-high 20 points in a come-from-behind win over Elmira on senior night to lock up the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament.
Men’s Basketball Rookie – Utica
Agim Hamiti, Freshman, Guard – Prishtina, Kosovo/Syracuse Academy of Science
On the two-game weekend, Agim Hamiti averaged 14 points on 10-of-19 (.526) from the field to go with five steals and seven rebounds. Friday night against Nazareth, he netted a career-high 16 points on 6-11 shooting. He also grabbed five rebounds. In a victory over Houghton on Saturday, he scored 12 points in just 19 minutes and had three steals.
Women’s Basketball Player – Hartwick
Maria Foglia, Senior, Guard – Rensselaer, NY/Catholic Central
Maria Foglia averaged 17.3 points and five rebounds while shooting 51.5% (17-of-33) from the field and 46% (6-for-13) from three-point range in a 3-0 week for the Hawks. She scored a game-high 20 points on seven of 13 shooting with four rebounds in a 71-50 win over Stevens on Tuesday. She added 15 points, five rebounds, and four assists on Friday in a 72-49 victory at Houghton. On Saturday, she notched a team-high 17 points, tied for a team-high with six rebounds, and added four assists on Senior Day in a 64-55 win over Elmira.
Women’s Basketball Rookie – Stevens
Erica Guketlov, Freshman, Guard – Spotswood, NJ/Bishop George Ahr
Erica Guketlov began the week with five points in a 70-51 loss to Hartwick. Guketlov then scored 13 points on 4-for-5 shooting and 3-for-3 from three-point range with three rebounds and two assists in a 60-59 win vs. Elmira that cliched a spot in the E8 Tournament.
Men’s Swimming Athlete – Stevens
Joshua Lefeber, Sophomore – Franklin, WI/Franklin
Joshua Lefeber was named the Outstanding Male Swimmer of the Meet at Empire 8 Championships. Lefeber won three individual events in B-cut times and was part of four relays that met the B-cut qualifying time to help the Ducks earn the team title. He earned a win in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:52.34, carded a 4:03.22 in the 400-IM and clocked a 57.39 in the 100-yard breaststroke.
Men’s Diving Athlete – Ithaca
Matt Morrison, Junior – Simsbury, Simsbury, CT
Ithaca junior Matt Morrison earned Male Diver of the Meet at the Upper New York State/Empire 8 Championships for the second straight year as he won both diving events. He set UNYSCSA/E8 and championship meet record in the 1-meter diving finals with a score of 582.30. Morrison totaled 3-meter diving score of 571.50.
Women’s Swimming co-Athlete – Ithaca
Grace Ayer, Freshman – Delmar, NY/Bethlehem
Freshman Grace Ayer was named the Female Swimmer of the Meet at the Upper New York State Championships as she led the Bombers to a first-place team finish. Geyer won three individual events in B-cut times and was part of four relays that finished either first or second. She earned a win in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:05.13, won the 100 backstroke in 57.59 and carded a winning time of 2:03.49 in the 200-backstroke.
Women’s Swimming co-Athlete – Stevens
Brittany Geyer, Junior – Brunswick, OH/Walsh Jesuit
Junior Brittany Geyer was named the Female Swimmer of the Meet at the Empire 8 Championships as she led the Ducks to a second-place team finish. Geyer won two individual events in NCAA B cuts during the four-day meet. She won the 100 breaststroke (1:04.99) on Friday night followed by a win in the 200 breaststroke (2:19.72) on Saturday. Earlier in the week she finished second in the 400 individual-medley (4:33.58) and was part of two winning relays.
Women’s Diving Athlete – Ithaca
Nickie Griesemer, Freshman –West Chester, PA/Bayard Rustin
Ithaca freshman Nickie Griesemer earned Female Diver of the Meet at the Upper New York State/Empire 8 Championships. She highlighted the final day of the meet with a record-setting performance on the 3-meter diving board. Griesemer scored 541.00 in the championship dive format. She finished second on the 1-meter board as she scored 474.50 in the finals.
Men’s Indoor Track Athlete – Stevens
Michael Cahill, Senior – Clark, NJ/Union Catholic
Senior Michael Cahill traveled to Cornell University to take part in the Cornell Deneault Invitational on 2/22 and set a new school record in the 5,000-meter run. Cahill placed first overall out of 18 runners in a time of 14:42.12. Half of the field represented NCAA Division I institutions, two others were from DIII schools, one went to a DII college and five were unattached runners. He topped his previous best indoor time by 23 seconds and outdoor mark by three seconds. Cahill's time places him 11th overall in the country.
Men’s Indoor Field Athlete – Stevens
Robert Pinto, Junior – Staten Island, NY/Monsignor Farrell
Junior Robert Pinto topped the field in the high jump with a mark of 2.08 meters (6 feet, 9.75 inches) at Princeton University on Sunday. Pinto set a personal best school record in the event and ranks fifth in NCAA Division III. He cleared 2.08 meters in his first attempt. Pinto also enrolled in the long jump and finished sixth with a leap of 6.49 meters (21' 3.5").
Women’s Indoor Track Athlete – Alfred
Miasia Hillman, Junior – Buffalo, NY/Hutch Tech
Miasia Hillman set new school indoor records in the 60-meter dash (7.88 seconds) and 200-meter dash (25.83 seconds) at Cornell University's Deneault Memorial Invitational. Competing primarily against Division I runners, Hillman took eighth in the 60 meter and seventh in the 200 meter.
Women’s Indoor Field Athlete – Nazareth
Taylor Pierson, Sophomore – Wellsburg, NY/Southside
Taylor Pierson shattered her own school record in the long jump Friday as she won that event at the RIT Invitational. Her leap of 18 feet, 9 3/4 inches topped her previous mark of 18 feet, 1 inch, set last season. She current ranks fifth in NCAA Division III.