E8 Athletes of the Week: April 14
Just a few weeks remain in the spring regular season, but men's golf and outdoor track and field however have their Championships around the corner. The rest of the spring sports still plenty of games to be played as teams compete for a spot in the postseason tournaments. In the meantime, those earning weekly honors for the week of April 7-13 include...
Baseball Player of the Week – Ithaca
Luke Stark, Senior, Centerfield – Schenectady, NY/Guilderland
Luke Stark led Ithaca to a 5-0 week and was the main offensive contributor in a four-game sweep of Utica. He was 9-for-14 in the series with six runs scored, two doubles and two RBIs. Stark batted .562 for the week and also reached base three other times on two walks and once when hit by a pitch.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week – Utica
Ryan Watson, Junior – Deerfield, NY/Whitesboro
Ryan Watson pitched six innings in a 3-1 win over Hamilton College in the 27th annual Jackie Robinson game. In his six innings of work, he gave up one run while striking out seven of the 26 batters he faced.
Softball Player of the Week – Alfred
Nicole Maher, Sophomore, Shortstop – Newark, DE/Caravel Academy
Nicole Maher batted .650 (13 for 20) in a 5-1 week for the Saxons, which included sweeps of RIT and Houghton and a split with Fisher. She hit a pair of doubles and a triple and finished the week with seven RBIs and seven runs scored. Maher was a combined 5-for-7 with two RBIs and a run scored in the split with Fisher.
Softball Pitcher of the Week – Alfred
Katelyn Jakobsen, Sophomore – Elmwood Park, IL/Elmwood Park
Katelyn Jakobsen won two games and got a no-decision in a third last week. She earned the win in Alfred's come-from-behind win over RIT, tossing 4 2/3 innings of one-hit scoreless relief, striking out five with no walks. In a 10-1 win over Houghton, she pitched five innings, allowing an unearned run on two hits while striking out six and walking none. She allowed just an unearned run on four hits (two strikeouts and two walks) before leaving the game against Fisher with a 5-1 lead after five innings in a game the Saxons would go on to lose. For the week, Jakobsen was 2-0, allowing no earned runs and seven hits over 14 2/3 innings, with 13 strikeouts and two walks.
Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week –
Elmira
David Evert, Senior, Midfield – Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Wheatfield
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David Evert helped the Soaring Eagles win their only game of the week, a 9-8 overtime victory over Hartwick. The win was Elmira's first E8 Conference win of the season and first since 2011. David scored three goals and assisted on three others, giving him a game-high six points. His final point of the day came at a crucial time as he assisted on the game-winning overtime goal.
Men’s Lacrosse Goalie of the Week??-
Ithaca
Scott Sidnam, Sophomore – Camillus, NY/West Genesee
Sophomore Scott Sidnam picked up a pair of Empire 8 wins last week to lead the Bombers to the top of the conference standings. Sidnam had a 22 saves and a save percentage of .667 in 112:07 in goal. He made a season-high 13 in a 20-4 win over Utica on Wednesday before stopping nine shots in a 10-8 victory against Nazareth. The Golden Flyers outshot Ithaca, 7-1, in the final four minutes of the game with Sidnam saving both shots laced on goal.
Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Week?- Elmira
Ashton Hogan, Junior, Attack – Shelburne, ONT/Robert F Hall
Ashton Hogan continued to shine for the Soaring Eagles as she posted seven points on five goals and two assists in a 14-13 loss to SUNY Canton. Her seven points are a career high and her five goals tied a career/season best. Hogan also controlled a career-high seven draw controls and scooped up one ground ball. She laced 5-of-6 shots on goal (.833).
Women’s Lacrosse Goalie of the Week??- Ithaca
Emily Ross, Freshman – Stony Brook, NY/Ward Melville
Freshman goalkeeper Emily Ross made 22 saves in 150 minutes in goal for the Bombers to earn three victories between the pipes. She tallied a save percentage of .647 while allowing just 4.8 goals per game. The Bombers remained atop the Empire 8 with weekend victories at Nazareth and Alfred and helped increase their winning streak to seven with a non-conference win over William Smith on Tuesday.
Men’s Tennis Player of the Week – Houghton
Chase Rangel, Sophomore – Fillmore, NY/Fillmore
Chase Rangel helped Houghton to a 3-0 week as the Highlanders improved to 4-6 in its first season of collegiate competition. Rangel won third singles 3-6, 6-4, 10-6 and second doubles 8-6 against Pitt-Bradford on Thursday. The following day he won second doubles 8-1 against Utica and did not compete in singles play. Rangel completed his week on Saturday with a win at third singles 6-2, 2-6, 10-5 against Hartwick.
Men’s Golf Athlete – Elmira
Brandon Payne, Freshman – Hastings, NY/Paul V. Moore
Brandon Payne was Elmira's top player this past weekend at the SUNY Delhi Invitational. He posted a career low round of 73 on day one and finished the event with a score of 154, good enough to place tied for 8th. His 8th place finish is also a career best.
Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete – Utica
Corey Zlatniski, Junior – Mattituck, NY/Mattituck
Junior Corey Zlatniski continued his solid surge with a second place finish in the 800 meter run as he clocked a final time of 1:55.17 at the Coach P Open hosted by Moravian College over the weekend. Zlatniski broke another school-record with his ECAC qualifying performance marking the second consecutive week that he shattered a UC program record.
Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete – Nazareth
Khiary Gayle, Sophomore – Syracuse, NY/Skaneateles
Khiary Gayle broke his own school record in the triple jump Saturday as Nazareth hosted the ROC City Classic at Golden Flyers Stadium. Gayle placed second with a leap of 13.57 meters (44 feet, 6 1/4 inches), 11 inches farther than his previous best outdoor distance.
Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete – Alfred
Miasia Hillman, Junior – Buffalo, NY/Hutch Tech
Miasia Hillman won the 100-meter dash (12.60 seconds) and 200-meter dash (25.70 seconds) at the Westminster College Invitational on Saturday, April 12. It marks the third straight week Hillman swept both events.
Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete – Stevens
Amira Dardir, Junior – Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academy
Amira Dardir set a new school record in the heptathlon at the Kutztown University Multi on April 11. Dardir placed third overall in the heptathlon with 4,174 points, which consisted mainly of NCAA Division II competitors. The junior surpassed the previous school record by over 200 points and qualified for ECAC's in the process. Dardir's total also puts her eighth nationally. She scored 783 points in the high jump with a mark of 1.64 meters and 749 points in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.72 seconds. Dardir's third-best event was put together in the 800-meter race in 2:35.89 to give her 621 points. Her mark of 5.08 meters in the long jump scored 581, while her time of 28.90 in the 200-meter dash added 562 points to her total.