Athletes of the Week: Oct 31 - Nov 6
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 and additional winter sports starting. The honorees for the week of Oct. 31 - Nov. 6 include...
Football Offensive Player – St. John Fisher
Matt Naton, Senior, QB – Syracuse, NY/West Genesee
In Fisher's 68-40 win over Hartwick on Saturday Matt Naton set Fisher single-game records with 504 passing yards and six touchdown passes, five of which came in the first half. Naton is now first in the Empire 8 in touchdowns this season with 21, and sits second in the Empire 8 for passing yards per game with 300.7, despite playing two less games than the leader.
Football Defensive Player – Brockport
Terry McDonald, Sophomore, DL – Elmsford, NY/Archbishop Stepinac
Sophomore Terry McDonald forced a fumble less than two minutes into Saturday’s victory over Morrisville State College, which was recovered by The College at Brockport and taken back for a touchdown. On Morrisville’s ensuing drive, the sophomore scooped up another fumble and returned it 17-yards for his first career touchdown. McDonald also contributed four tackles, three of which were solo, and 1.5 tackles were for a combined loss of six-yards.
Football Special Teams Player – Utica
Nicodemus Gambill, Senior, KR – Rochester, NY/East High
Utica’s Nicodemus Gambill returned a first quarter kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown as the Pioneers hosted nationally-ranked Alfred on Saturday. He now has the two longest kick returns for a touchdown in program-history (99 yards against Morrisville in week four, 97 yards against Alfred on Saturday).
Field Hockey Offensive Player – St. John Fisher
Emily Markarian, Junior, Forward – Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park
Emily Markarian was named the tournament’s most outstanding player as she tallied three goals in the two games including both game-winners as Fisher won its first E8 Championship. The wins also gave the Cardinals its first berth to the NCAA Tournament. Her 21 goals on the season, sets a new single-season program record.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Player – St. John Fisher
Matthew Kaiser, Freshman, Forward – Pittsford, NY/Pittsford-Sutherland
Matthew Kaiser was named the championship's most valuable player after leading the fourth-seeded Cardinals with two goals in the title game to claim the program’s first ever E8 championship. Kaiser recorded Fisher’s first goal in the first half as he tucked away a free kick from just outside the box and then netted the game-winner in the 81st minute. Kaiser and the Cardinal’s played top-seeded Stevens to a scoreless draw in the semifinal and advanced by virtue of penalty kicks, 6-5, to eliminate the Ducks from the tournament for the first time since they joined the conference in 2007.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Player – Stevens
Gabriella Saade, Freshman, F - West Windsor, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro
Gabriella Saade was named the E8 Tournament MVP after keying both Stevens wins with two goals and an assist. In the semifinal, Saade made it 2-0 five minutes into the game, which proved to be the game winner in the 2-1 win against Hartwick. In the championship game, Saade scored two minutes into the first overtime to clinch a 3-2 win over Ithaca. She also picked up an assist.
Women’s Volleyball Player – Ithaca
Joelle Goldstein, Junior, OH – Kings Park, NY/Kings Park
Joelle Goldstein was named the tournament MVP as she helped second-seeded Ithaca win its second straight E8 title. She finished the semifinal match against Nazareth with a team-best seven kills on .400 hitting. She added four digs, three aces, and a block assist. In the title match, she paced the Bombers in the with a double-double, marking a team-best 12 kills (.265 hitting) and 15 digs. She also added a block assists.
Men’s Cross Country Runner – Stevens
Michael Gormley, Sophomore – Morrisville, PA/Notre Dame
Michael Gormley led Stevens to a third place team finish at the ECAC Mid-Atlantic Championship. Gormley finished fifth out of 113 runners on the 8K course with a time of 27:32.5
Women’s Cross Country Runner – Stevens
Jackie Endres, Sophomore – Morristown, NJ/Villa Walsh
Jackie Endres paced the Ducks to its first ever ECAC Championship for the Mid-Atlantic Region. Endres placed fifth overall out of 100 runners on the 6K course with a time of 25:10.8
Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Ithaca
Aaron Levin, Sophomore – Livingston, NJ/Livingston
Aaron Levin of the Ithaca College men's swimming and diving team played a big part in the Bombers' 182.5-105.5 win over SUNY Cortland on Saturday. The sophomore aided in two relay wins before taking the top spot in the 200 free (1:47.69) by more than three seconds and the 100 free with a winning time of 48.27. He anchored the winning 200 medley relay (1:38.10) with a split of 21.50 and was the lead leg of the of the 400 freestyle relay (3:14.28) with a 48.65 split.
Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Hartwick
Maddy Hayes, Junior – Eagan, MN/Eagan
Junior Maddy Hayes paced Hartwick with four victories in the 173-126 defeat of Nazareth. Hayes won the 200-yard freestyle with the time of 2:02.39, the 50-yard freestyle in 26.05 and the 100-yard freestyle in 56.46. The group of Hayes, Olivia Bart, Rachel Bellis and Taylor Diepold won the 400-yard freestyle relay in 3:50.42.