Empire 8 Athletes of the Week: March 2
Here are the student-athletes who are recognized for individual achievements in the week ending March 1 ...
Men’s Basketball Player – St. John Fisher
Stefan Bock, Senior, Guard – State Island, NY/St. Peters
Stefan Bock garnered the Most Valuable Player award at the Empire 8 Championship on Saturday. The senior guard scored a career-high 25 points as Fisher won its first conference title since the 2006-07 season. On the defensive end, Bock tallied two steals and held Alfred’s Tyler Seelman, who was averaging 15.8 points, to just five on 2-of-7 shooting. Bock recorded 12 points and a season-high nine rebounds in Fisher’s semifinal victory over Ithaca on Friday.
Women’s Basketball Player – St. John Fisher
Mary Kate Cusack, Junior, Guard – Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa
Mary Kate Cusack earned the Most Valuable Player award at the Empire 8 Championship on Saturday. The junior guard scored a career-high 41 points and tied Fisher’s single-game record for 3-pointers with eight for the second time in 14 days. The 41 points were one shy of the single-game record of 41, previously set in 2005 and 1979. Cusack also added a season-high seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. The day before in the semifinal contest against Stevens, she tallied 24 points, five boards, three assists and three steals.
Men's Indoor Track Athlete – Nazareth
Nick LaBarbera, Freshman – Red Hook, NY/Red Hook
Nick LaBarbera was named Rookie of the Meet after posting a record-breaking time to win Saturday’s 500-meter dash at the NYSCTC Championships at RIT. LaBarbera's winning time of 1:05.58 was more than a second faster than the previous Nazareth record of 1:06.78, set at RIT two years ago. LaBarbera also ran for the Golden Flyers in the 4x400-meter relay that finished fifth in 3:30.60.
Men's Indoor Field Athlete – Ithaca
Andrew Brandt, Junior – Broomall, PA/Marple Newton
Junior Andrew Brandt won the high jump with an ECAC-qualifying mark of 2.03 meters at the NYSCTC Championships on Saturday. Brandt matched his best performance in the high jump from a week ago and is now No. 23 in the nation. He helped Ithaca finish second overall as a team.
Women's Indoor Track Athlete – Alfred
Miasia Hillman, Senior – Buffalo, NY/Hutch Tech
Miasia Hillman won the 60-meter dash (7.74 seconds) and 200-meter dash (school record 25.63 seconds) and was named Outstanding Female Track Athlete at the NYSCTC meet. Hillman currently ranks No. 10 and No. 15 in the nation in the 60 meters and 200 meters, respectively.
Women's Indoor Field Athlete – Ithaca
Christina Stockburger, Senior – Belle Mead, NJ/Montgomery
Christina Stockburger led in the weight throws with a first-place finish of 15.62 meters (51'3") at the NYSCTC Championship on Friday to surpass ECAC qualifying marks. She also threw a distance of 10.87 meters (35'8") in the shot put.
Men’s Lacrosse Player of the Week – Houghton
Paul Chapman, Sophomore, Attack - Kemptville, Ontario/North Greenville
Sophomore Paul Chapman netted 14 goals and added three assists in three games this past week for the Highlanders. He averaged 4.6 goals per game as the Highlanders went 1-2 overall. He also added 12 ground balls and five caused turnovers. He led the team with seven goals in its 13-6 win over Franciscan University on Thursday. He also added five goals and one assist in a season-opening loss to Bethany on Tuesday. He capped the week with two goals and one assist against Thiel on Saturday.
Men’s Lacrosse Goalie of the Week – Stevens
Austin Boyd, Junior –Bellevue, Wash./Bellevue
After making six saves in a 16-5 win over FDU Florham in the season-opener, junior Austin Boyd has eclipsed double-digit saves in his next three outings for Stevens (2-2). Against No. 13 Endicott, the junior made a career-high 17 stops followed by 12 and 13 saves against Eastern Connecticut and Springfield – both games in which he allowed a stingy seven goals against. In the first four games this season, Boyd averaged 12 saves and compiled a save percentage of .593. His goals-against average currently sits at 8.72 and he has held the opposition to seven goals or fewer in 3-of-4 outings.
Women’s Lacrosse Player – Ithaca
Ally Runyon, Junior – Fairport, NY/Fairport
Ally Runyon had eight goals and two assists for Ithaca to lead the offensive effort in a 14-8 win over Rochester in the season-opener for both teams. It was a career-high in both goals and points for Runyon.
Women’s Lacrosse Goalie – Stevens
Stephanie Schnelzer, Freshman – Carmel, ID/Carmel
Freshman Stephanie Schnelzer made eight saves in her career-debut for the Ducks in an overtime road game against Montclair State on Saturday. The rookie faced 20 shots, compiling a .471 save percentage for the day.