Athletes of the Week: Jan. 11-17, 2016
Swimming and diving and indoor track and field rejoined men's and women's basketball as the Empire 8 winter campaigns returned to full strength. Those earning weekly honors for the week of Jan. 11-17 are...
Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Alfred
Christopher Deaver , Junior – Warwick, NY/Warwick Valley
Christopher Deaver had a record-breaking week on the boards for Alfred. In a three event week, Deaver managed to qualify for the NCAA Regionals on both the 1-Meter and 3-Meter diving boards. He qualified for the 1-Meter event with a score of 309.90 against Le Moyne College on Wednesday, a score that broke a 32-year old school record. The mark also took the top spot as the pool record as he claimed his first win of the day. Later in the meet, he went on to win the 3-Meter with a score of 296.63. On Friday against Utica, Deaver broke the 300 mark again on the short board with a first place score of 302.00 while setting his qualifying mark for the NCAA Regionals on the tall board with a 310.57 (less than five points away from breaking the school record). He finished his week with a first place on the 1-Meter board against Hartwick (266.75) and another on the 3-Meter (245.50).
Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Alfred
Dylan Staniszewski, Junior – Oakton, VA/Oakton
Dylan Staniszewski had a big week in the pool for Alfred, as the junior claimed seven first-place wins. She won all three of her events against Le Moyne and Wells on Wednesday, taking first in the 1,000 Freestyle (11:16.33), the 200 Freestyle (2:02.34) and the 500 Freestyle (5:25.21). Staniszewski then turned around after one day off of competing and won the 200 IM against Utica (2:16.68), the 100 Freestyle (56.04), and teamed up for a win in the 200 Medley Relay (2:02.65). Staniszewski ended the week with a win the 500 Freestyle at Hartwick (5:25.61). She added three second-place finishes in the 200 Free (1:59.99), 100 Free (56.04) and the 200 Free Relay (1:48.57).
Men's Basketball Player - Houghton
Phil Pellegrino, Junior, Guard – Rochester, NY/Brighton
Phil Pellegrino averaged 19.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per game in Houghton’s 1-2 week. He opened the week with 11 points against Nazareth, scored 18 at Stevens and capped the week with a career-high 30 points in just 24 minutes on 10-of-16 shooting in the Highlanders’ conference win over Utica. Pellegrino hit 5-of-10 from long range against the Pioneers while adding four rebounds and two steals. Twenty of his points (on 7-of-9 shooting) against Utica came in the second half. He finished the week shooting 11-of-29 from three point range and 10-of-11 from the charity stripe.
Men's Basketball Rookie - Ithaca
Peter Ezema, Freshman, Guard – New York, NY/ High School for Health
Peter Ezema averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and 4.5 steals last week as the Bombers posted a 1-1 mark in conference play. Ezema opened the week with 14 points, eight boards and a career-high five steals while shooting 7-for-11 (636) from the floor in a win over Elmira before contributing 12 points, eight rebounds and four more steals against St. John Fisher on Saturday. During Ithaca's two-game stretch, Ezema had a hot hand, shooting a combined 13-for-22 (.591) from the field.
Women's Basketball Player - Hartwick
Jacqui Foreman, Junior, Forward – Tolland, CT/Tolland
Jacqui Foreman helped guide Hartwick to three conference wins as she averaged 16.67 points, 14 rebounds, 3.33 assists, and 2.33 steals. Foreman was virtually unstoppable on Tuesday night as she recorded a double-double with career- and game-highs of 22 points and 17 rebounds against Utica. On Friday night she added a double-double of 14 points and a career-high 19 rebounds against Alfred. Saturday afternoon against Elmira Foreman led the Hawks in scoring with 14 points and also tied for a team-high with six rebounds, grabbed a game–high five steals, and dished out three assists.
Women’s Basketball Rookie – Houghton
Brittany Lenart, Freshman, Guard – Panama, NY/Panama
Brittany Lenart posted two games with double-digit scoring in Empire 8 action. She hit 3-of-4 from beyond the arc and added two from the floor and one from the free throw line for 14 points against Nazareth College on Tuesday. Lenart also had 13 points during the win over Utica College as she went 3-for-6 from the arc with one field goal and two free throws. She also recorded a total of five assists and three steals during the course of the week.
Men’s Indoor Track Athlete – Utica
Shane Ruffing, Senior – Rochester, NY/Westborough
Senior Shane Ruffing took home second place with a time of 8.55 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles on Saturday at the Tom & Bernie Clark Invitational hosted by Utica College. His time of 8.55 seconds currently ranks 22nd on the indoor national qualifying list. Ruffing also placed second in the triple jump with a leap of 13.66 meters and he joined Connor Nolte, Patrick Claffey and Erik Gleba to capture a second place finish (3:33.96) in the men’s 4x400-meter relay.??
Men’s Indoor Field Co-Athlete – Nazareth
Luis Rivera, Senior – Rochester, NY/James Monroe
Luis Rivera demolished the field at the RIT Invitational, winning the weight throw with a heave of 18.17 meters – which ranks second nationally. The second place finisher had a toss of 15.76 meters.
Men’s Indoor Field Co-Athlete – St. John Fisher
Kyle Koehler, Senior – Pulaski, NY/Pulaski
For the third time this season, Kyle Koehler has set a new school record in the shot put, and the second-best throw in the country at 16.65 meters, which was good for first place in the event at the RIT Invitational.??
Women’s Indoor Track Athlete – Ithaca
Taryn Cordani, Sophomore – Douglas, MA/Douglas
Sophomore Taryn Cordani ran away with top honors in the mile at the Spartan Regional Preview with a time of 5:06.64, beating the next closest runner by 14 seconds, who was from DI Marist.
Women’s Indoor Field Athlete – Ithaca
Brandy Smith, Junior – Miami, FL/Ransom Everglades
Junior Brandy Smith bested the field at the Spartan Regional Preview in the weight throw with a distance of 16.52 meters (54' 2.5"), topping the next closest participant by nearly a meter.