Athletes of the Week: Oct 19-25
Empire 8 fall championships are quickly approaching, and student-athletes are performing at a top level as they prepare for the post-season. Those earning weekly honors include...
Football Offensive Player – Ithaca
Josh Oliver, Senior, Wide Receiver – Poughkeepsie, NY/Poughkeepsie
Senior Josh Oliver set a single-game school record with 16 catches for 134 yards with two touchdowns, the second time in four games he has caught two receiving touchdowns, during Saturday's game against Morrisville State. The previous record for catches in a game at Ithaca was 13, set by Joe Palumbo against Mercyhurst on Oct. 30, 1993.
Football Defensive Player – Buffalo State
Shaq Frederick, Senior, LB – Brooklyn, NY/Holy Cross
Shaq Frederick helped Buffalo State limit Utica to just 35 rushing yards and 239 yards of total offense in a 28-16 road victory on Saturday. The senior linebacker led Buffalo State with a season-high 18 tackles, including 11 solo stops. Frederick also had two tackles for loss with a sack, and added a pass breakup.
Football Special Teams Player – Buffalo State
Dale Stewart, Sophomore, KR – Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls
Dale Stewart matched a school record with a 100-yard kick return for a touchdown as the Bengals defeated host Utica, 28-16, on Saturday. Stewart finished with 204 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns, including 104 rushing yards on 18 carries. The kick return touchdown came late in the third quarter after Utica had cut the deficit to 15-13, reclaiming the two-possession lead for the Bengals.
Field Hockey Offensive Player – Utica
Colleen Dowling, Senior, Midfield – Fairport, NY/Fairport
Senior Colleen Dowling totaled nine points in three games last week. On Wednesday, she had a goal and two assists to help lift Utica to an 8-0 win over Keuka. She followed that up with an assist on the game’s first goal in a 2-1 loss to Ithaca on Saturday. Dowling capped off the week with the lone goal for the Pioneers in a 4-1 loss at Hamilton.
Field Hockey Defensive Player – Nazareth
Lauren Devine, Senior, Goalie – Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia
Lauren Devine picked up two conference wins in net on the week. On Wednesday she registered her first career shutout as she made 10 saves to hand St. John Fisher College its first loss in conference play. Devine also made three saves in a 3-2 win over Hartwick on Saturday.
Men’s Cross Country Runner – Utica
Tyler Wright, Freshman – Little Falls, NY/West Canada Valley
Tyler Wright ran a personal best and broke a school record at the NYSCTC Championships with a time of 25:48:20. He placed fifth place out of 96 runners in the 8k run.
Women’s Cross Country Runner – Nazareth
Gabrielle LeBihan, Senior – Brant Lake, NY/Queensbury
Gabrielle LeBihan paced the Golden Flyers at the NYSCTC meet as she clocked a 22:32.7 over the 6-kilometer course to finish in second place. Nazareth captured its first-ever team title at the NYSCTC Championships.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Player – Utica
Shane Ruffing, Senior, Forward – Rochester, NY/Westborough
Shane Ruffing scored two goals in a 4-2 victory over SUNY Canton and one goal in a 3-1 loss to Stevens last week. His three goals on the week put him in sole possession of the all-time points record with 76 points in his career.
Men’s Soccer Defensive Player – Houghton
Landon Sheaffer, Junior, Midfield – Richfield, PA/East Juniata
Landon Sheaffer and the Houghton defense handed Alfred its second straight loss of the season. Trailing 1-0 in the 59th minute, Sheaffer and the defensive line did not allow another shot on net by Alfred. Houghton went on to score the equalizer in the 67th minute and the game winner in the first overtime period.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Player – Stevens
Zisi Komar, Freshman, Forward – San Diego, CA/University City
Zisi Komar helped lead the No. 16 Stevens women's soccer team to a 2-0 week, outscoring their opponents 11-1. Against No. 7 TCNJ, Komar scored the first two goals of the contest en route to a 4-0 win, giving TCNJ its first loss of the season. In an E8 match against Utica, Komar tallied two goals and an assist on five shots.
Women’s’ Soccer Defensive Player – Nazareth
Allison Dobles, Junior, Goalie – Spencerport, NY/Spencerport
Allison Dobles recorded two shutouts in conference play, including making a career-high 18 saves in a 0-0 tie against Ithaca on Saturday. Dobles made six saves in a 3-0 win over St. John Fisher on Wednesday.
Women’s Volleyball Player – Stevens
Sydni Horner, Sophomore, Libero – Columbia, MD/River Hill
Sydni Horner tallied over 20 digs in all three matches as Stevens went 3-0 and finished E8 conference play with a perfect 8-0 record to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Championship Tournament. Against Hartwick, she tallied a pair of service aces to go along with 21 digs on Friday. In matches against Houghton and Elmira Saturday, Horner recorded 22 digs in each match, with 4 aces against Elmira.
Women’s Volleyball Rookie – Ithaca
Kyle Dandrea, Freshman, OH – Sandy Hook, CT/Newtown
Freshman Kyle Dandrea played in just five sets over three matches for Ithaca, but compiled 16 kills (.361 hitting percentage), 10 digs, two blocks, one assist and one ace. Dandrea started the week with six kills in a five-set win at Oneonta in which she played two sets. She then tallied six kills, three digs and a block in a set of action vs. Hartwick, and followed with four kills, four digs, an ace and block against Fisher.
Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Hartwick
Imma Rutigliano, Senior – Tillson, NY/John A. Coleman
Imma Rutigliano was a leading contributor to her team’s victory over Utica College and Cazenovia College as a 18 point loss to Division II St. Rose. Rutigliano was the winner of the 200 Freestyle with a 2:00.13 and placed second in the 500 Freestyle with a time of 5:27.05. Imma also won the 200 IM in 2:15.01, as well as being the anchor of the first place 400 Free Relay, coming from behind to lead her team to victory in a split of 55.80.
Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Hartwick
Ben Detar, Senior – Charleston, SC/Hanahan
Ben Detar led Hartwick to wins over Utica College, Cazenovia College, and Division 2 St. Rose as part of the Hartwick quad meet. Detar was a part of the winning 200 Medley Relay (1:36.99) swimming the fly leg in a split of 23.66. Ben placed second in the 200-freestyle with a time of 1:48.22. In addition, Ben also won the 200 Butterfly in 1:55.85 as well as the 100 Butterfly in a time of 53.02.