Athletes of the Week: Nov. 2-8
The Empire 8 fall tournaments have come to a close and league champions have been crowned, as the focus now shifts to NCAA post-season tournament competition. The honorees for the week of Nov. 2-8 include...
Football Offensive Player – Brockport
Dan Andrews, Junior, RB – Rochester, NY/Franklin High School
Dan Andrews scored five rushing touchdowns in the 49-42 win over Morrisville State to becoming Brockport’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns. Andrews averaged 5.6 yards per carry and ran for 166 yards. He accounted for seven of Brockport’s 18 first downs.
Football Defensive Player – St. John Fisher
David Carroll, Sophomore, LB – Oneida, NY/Oneida
David Carroll finished the afternoon with a total of 10 tackles, seven of which were solo, and tallied two sacks for 21 yards in the 41-34 Fisher victory over Hartwick on Saturday.
Football Special Teams Player – N/A
Men’s Cross Country Runner - Utica
Jon Kulpa, Freshman – Clinton, NY/Clinton
Jon Kulpa led the Pioneers and the Empire 8 with a 45th place finish out of 277 runners at the ECAC Championship with an 8K time of 27:55.38.
Women’s Cross Country Runner – Stevens
Samantha Rokicsak, Sophomore – Nanuet, NY/Clarkstown South
Samantha Rokicsak was the top Empire 8 runner at the ECAC Championship as she finished the 6K in a time of 25:22.8
Field Hockey Player – Stevens
Dailyn Brook, Senior, M - Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East
Dailyn Brook was named the most valuable player of the 2015 Empire 8 Field Hockey Championship Tournament after tallying nine points off four goals and an assist in the two games. The title is the first since 2010 for the Ducks, and the first for a three-seed in the history of the championship. Brook scored both goals in the 2-1 semifinal win against St. John Fisher College, including the game winner in overtime. And then she had two goals and an assist in the title game on Saturday.
Men’s Soccer Player – Stevens
Carson Pryor, Senior, F – St. Louis, MO/MICDS/Loyola (Md)
Carson Pryor was named the championship's most valuable player after leading the Ducks with two goals and 16 shots on the weekend. Pryor scored in the second minute of play in the semifinal game against Houghton. In the championship, Pryor score the lone goal in the 24th minute as he received a long pass and then beat his defender leaving no one between him and the keeper.
Women’s Soccer Player – Stevens
Zisi Komar, Freshman, F – San Diego, CA/University City
Zisi Komar scored three goals in two games during the Empire 8 Conference championship to be named the tournament’s most valuable player. In the semifinals against Houghton, Komar scored the first two goals in a 4-0 win. She tallied the game-winning goal in the 22nd minute of the Empire 8 Championship to help lead the Ducks to their first Empire 8 championship since 2011.
Women’s Volleyball Player – Ithaca
Kayla Gromen, Sophomore, Setter – Lancaster, PA/Hempfield
Kayla Gromen was named the women’s volleyball tournament's most valuable player after dishing out 25 assists with two kills and seven digs in the championship match. In the semifinal, Gromen registered 25 assists, three kills and eight digs. It is the first time since 2010 that Ithaca has won the E8 title and the 30 wins on the season ties the most victories for the program since 2007.
Women’s Volleyball Rookie – Ithaca
Amanda Cerruti, Freshman, MH – West Islip, NY/West Islip
Amanda Cerruti totaled nine kills and nine blocks in the Empire 8 Conference Championship. Cerruti hit .333 in Ithaca's semifinal win over Nazareth with three kills and four blocks, and followed with six kills (.300) and five blocks in the championship over Stevens. She also put down the final kill of the match.
Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Stevens
Sarah Jurczyk, Sophomore – Williamsburg, VA/Lafayette
Sarah Jurczyk grabbed three individual top three finishes and was part of four relay teams at the NYU Fall Invitational. Jurczyk won the 200 butterfly in 2:10.94, a full three seconds ahead of the runner up. She placed second in the 100 butterfly in 59.46, a slim1.13 seconds off of first. Jurczyk clocked a 2:16.13 in the 200 IM for a third place finish. The 200 Free Relay, 400 Medley Relay and 800 Free Relay all placed third, while the 400 Free Relay finished fourth.
Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Stevens
Tomasz Wolinski, Senior – Wallington, NJ/Bergen County Academy
Tomasz Wolinski had three first place, two second place and one third place finish in the NYU Fall Invitational. Individually, he touched first in the 200 freestyle (1:42.73), second in the 50 free (21.57) and third in the 100 free (47.23). The 200 Freestyle Relay opened the meet with a win in 1:25.46, edging out NYU by .09 seconds. The 200 Medley Relay also edged out NYU by a difference of 1.45 seconds to win in 1:33.54. The 400 Free and 400 Medley Relays placed second.