E8 Athletes of the Week: March 23
Weather continues to force league schools to jumble spring schedules, but the changes have had little affect on Empire 8 student-athlete performances. Those earning weekly honors include...
Baseball Player – Utica
Andrew Hobika Jr., Freshman, Infield – Clinton, NY/Clinton
Freshman Andrew Hobika, Jr. led the Utica College baseball team to a 6-2 record over spring break at the Russ Matt Tournament. Hobika Jr. batted .556 in four games going 5-for-9 with four RBI including two doubles, one triple and a home run. Had a 1.333 slugging percentage and 12 total bases.
Baseball Pitcher – Stevens
Robert Robbins, Junior – Tallahasse, FL/Leon
Robert Robbins went 2-0 in two starts this week for the Ducks. In a 5-1 win against Christopher Newport, he threw six innings allowing only one unearned run while scattering six hits and fanning eight. Against the College of Staten Island Saturday, he threw a complete game four hitter to blank the Dolphins 2-0. He struck out seven while only allowing seven base-runners in the contest.
Softball Player – Utica
Alysa Russell, Junior, SS – Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville
Junior Alysa Russell batted .556 (11-of-18) with two home runs and three stolen bases last week. She also added three RBI and six runs. She is currently in the midst of an eight-game hitting streak.
Softball Pitcher – Stevens
Kayla Berardi, Senior – Brookfield, CT/Brookfield
Senior Kayla Berardi picked-up three wins in four starts last week for the Ducks in a 6-1 week. In all three wins, Berardi gave up three hits or less with no earned runs while tallying 19 strikeouts. Overall for the week, Berardi struck out 24 and lowered her ERA to 1.37. Berardi's best performance came against Wisconsin-Superior when the lefty gave up just two hits and no runs, and at one point retired 19 straight hitters. In Thursday's win against Brockport, Berardi became the first pitcher in Stevens history to record her 500th career strike out.
Men’s Lacrosse Player – Nazareth
Luke Wooters, Junior, Attack – White Plains, NY/Iona Prep
Luke Wooters totaled 15 points on 10 goals and five assists as Nazareth won three games last week. He scored three goals, including career goal No. 100, as Nazareth defeated Clarkson, 9-5, last Tuesday. He contributed three goals and four assists in a 13-11 win over Dickinson Saturday and then had four goals and one assist in an 11-9 victory over 10th-ranked Cabrini Sunday.
Men’s Lacrosse Goalie – Utica
Andrew DiOrio, Senior – Greenlawn, NY/CW Post
Senior goalie Andrew DiOrio allowed just seven total goals over the course of two victories for Utica last week. He stopped a total of 16 shots in 119:40 minutes of work. He allowed three goals and stopped eight shots in the Pioneers 5-4 win over Morrisville on Thursday. He added eight saves and gave up just four goals in the Pioneers E8 opening, 9-4, win over Hartwick on Saturday. He also totaled five ground balls. Utica, winners of three in a row, has allowed four goals or less in four of six games this season.
Women's Lacrosse Player - Stevens
Erika Wilcox, Junior, Midfield – Baldwinsville, NY/Baldwinsville
Junior Erika Wilcox led Stevens to a pair of wins last week as the Ducks improved to 4-1 (1-0 E8). Wilcox started the week with eight points in an 11-5 win over Richard Stockton, and she then ended the week with five points against Hartwick. Against the Ospreys, Wilcox scored five goals on just six shots, dishing out three assists to go along with three draw controls. In the Hartwick win, the junior tallied three more goals, handed out two assists, scooped up three ground balls, caused two turnovers and had five draw controls. She had eight goals, five assists and eight draw controls overall, with per-game-averages of four goals, 2.5 assists, 6.5 points, four draw controls, 1.5 ground balls and one caused turnover. Her eight goals came on just 14 shots, and she now has 20 goals on just 33 shots this season.
Women's Lacrosse Goalie – Houghton
Kourtnie Franklin, Junior – Belfast, NY/Belfast
Kourtnie Franklin made 12 saves in the 13-12 win over Cazenovia and saved 50 percent of the shots on goal. In the 11-9 win over Elmira College she recorded ten saves and stopped 52.6 percent of the shots on goal.
Men’s Tennis Player– Ithaca
Jack Melhorn, Freshman – Nonthaburi, Thailand/International School of Bangkok
Jack Melhorn led Ithaca to a pair of Empire 8 victories over the weekend. He won at first singles and first doubles in a pair of dual-match wins for Ithaca over Houghton and Alfred. On Saturday against Houghton, Melhorn 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and 8-5 at first doubles. On Sunday against Alfred, Melhorn pulled out a three-set victory at first singles 7-5, 3-6, 10-5 and was an 8-3 winner at first doubles.