Athletes of the Week: Nov. 9-15
Men's and women's basketball opened their seasons over the past weekend as the football regular season came to an end. Those earning weekly honors for the week of Nov. 9-15 are:
Football Offensive Player – Buffalo State
Dale Stewart, Sophomore, RB – Niagara Falls, NY/Niagara Falls
Dale Stewart finished with 183 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the Bengals 35-28 victory over Brockport in Saturday's I-90 Bowl. Stewart rushed for 155 yards (5.5 yards per play) and two scores on 28 carries, and had three catches for 28 yards (9.3 yards per play).
Football Defensive Player – Cortland
Carson Lassiter, Junior, Strong Safety – Madison, NJ/Madison
Carson Lassiter led Cortland with 13 tackles, eight solo, in the Red Dragons' 11-8 win at Ithaca in the annual Cortaca Jug game. The victory, Cortland's sixth straight versus the Bombers, clinched the Empire 8 title and an NCAA automatic bid for the Red Dragons. Lassiter surpassed the career 200-tackle mark during the game (now at 204).
Football Special Teams Player – Cortland
Matt Green, Senior, Punter – Lexington, KY/Lafayette
Matt Green averaged 37.6 yards per punt on seven attempts, with a long of 51 yards, in Cortland's 11-8 win at Ithaca in the annual Cortaca Jug game. Three of his punts pinned the Bombers inside the 20-yard line, including two inside the 10.
Men’s Cross Country Runner - Ithaca
Sawyer Hitchcock, Senior – Fishers, IN/Hamilton Southeastern
Senior Sawyer Hitchcock qualified for his second consecutive NCAA Division III Championship with a seventh place finish at the Atlantic Regionals on the 8K course with a time of 25:30.0. Hitchcock will run again next Saturday, Nov. 21 in Winneconne, Wis.
Women’s Cross Country Runner – Ithaca
Taryn Cordani, Sophomore – Douglas, MA/Douglas
Sophomore Taryn Cordani finished as the runner-up at the Atlantic Regional with a time of 21:56.7. Cordani produced the best finish by a Bomber runner since at least 2004 and automatically qualifies for the NCAA Division III Championships next Saturday, Nov. 21 in Winneconne, Wis.
Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Hartwick
Imma Rutigliano, Senior – Tillson, NY/John. A. Coleman
Imma Rutigliano was the winner of the 200 Freestyle with a 2:00.80 on Saturday against Oneonta State, placed second in the 500 Freestyle with a 5:30.60 and won the 400 IM in a New Moyer Pool Record time of 4:43.03. Rutigliano also was the anchor leg of the winning 400 Free Relay (3:45.61) with a relay split of 55.18. On Sunday verses RPI she placed second in the 200 Freestyle in a time of 1:58.65. She was the winner of the 500 Freestyle in 5:27.79, as well as the 200 IM in a 2:13.92. In addition, Imma was the anchor leg of the 2nd place 200 free relay with a relay split of 25.93.
Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Hartwick
Aron Zhang, Freshman – Douglaston, NY/Brookyln Technical
Aron Zhang was a part of the winning 200 Medley Relay on Saturday (against Oneonta State) and the 400 Medley Relay (against RPI) on Sunday, swimming the backstroke in 24.67 and 53.58 respectively. The winning Medley Relay times were 1:38.40 and 3:34.10 respectively. Zhang placed second in the 100 Backstroke in a 53.33 against O-State, first in the 100 fly with a 53.71 and first in the 400 IM in a 4:22.18 on Saturday. In addition, Zhang won the 200 Freestyle in a 1:46.26 Sunday against RPI, as well as the 100 Fly in a 52.79 and the 200 IM in a 1:58.05.
Men’s Basketball Player – Stevens
Patrick Barron, Junior, Guard – Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central
Junior Patrick Barron scored 27 and 30 points in the Ducks opening two games of the 2015-16 season. Barron went 4-6 from three Friday against Ursinus with three rebounds, before dropping nine threes with four boards and two assists Saturday in a win against Bryn Athyn. Barron's nine threes broke a 25-year-old record for three-pointers made in a single game at the Long Center in Scranton.
Men’s Basketball Rookie – Nazareth
Tyler Stenglein, Sophomore, Guard – Rochester, NY/Irondequoit
In his first collegiate game Stenglien nearly recorded a triple-double with 19 points, nine assists and nine rebounds in a 91-81 win over D'Youville. He also had three steals in the game. He came back against Sage to score 14 points, dish out nine assists to go along with two rebounds and one steal.
Women’s Basketball Player – Ithaca
Erin Ferguson, Junior, Forward – Berkeley Heights, NJ/Governor Livingston
Junior Erin Ferguson scored a career-high 16 points to open the 2015-16 season in a loss at No. 12 Montclair State. Ferguson went 6-for-8 from the field and 4-for-5 at the free throw line with seven rebounds.
Women’s Basketball Rookie – Alfred
Chanice Battle, Freshman, Guard – Brooklyn, NY/Midwood
Chanice Battle averaged 15 points, four rebounds, one assists and 2.5 steals in two games to over the weekend. In a loss to Mt. St. Mary College, she scored a game-high 22 points on 10-of-17 shooting, pulled down seven rebounds, dished out two assists and made two steals.