Athletes of the Week: Oct. 23-29, 2017
The Empire 8 Athletic Conference has announced that 15 student-athletes in 9 different sports have been recognized for outstanding play during the week of Oct. 23-29, 2017....
Football Offensive Player – St. John Fisher
James Chambers, Senior, RB – Lockport, NY/Lockport
Senior running back James Chambers of the St. John Fisher College football team had a career day on Saturday as he guided the Cardinals to a 35-28 win over SUNY Cortland in an Empire 8 bout. Chambers had 300 yards on the day including a career-best 199 rushing yards to go along with 91 receiving yards on a game-high eight catches. Chambers, who averaged 7.7 yards per carry had three touchdowns overall in the win including a career-long 80-yard touchdown run.
Football Defensive Player – The College at Brockport
Alex West, Sophomore, LB – Dansville, NY/Dansville
Alex West had a career day from the linebacker position, leading the team with nine tackles (seven solo) in Brockport's second straight shutout. Along with those nine tackles came 3.5 sacks for a loss of 16 yards, including one sack in the Buffalo State end zone that resulted in a safety. The sophomore was also involved with two of the three forced turnovers for the Golden Eagles on the day, recovering a fumble and intercepting a pass in the second quarter.
Football Special Teams Player – The College at Brockport
Eric Yaeger, Junior, Punter – Lockport, NY/Starpoint
Eric Yaeger broke the Brockport record for career punting yards in Saturday's 33-0 victory over Buffalo State. The junior punted five times for 225 yards (45 yards-per-punt), including one that he booted 58 yards down the field. He was precise in pinning the Bengals deep in their own territory, punting two balls inside the Buffalo State 20 yard line.
Men’s Cross Country Runner – Stevens
Greg Arabagian, Senior – Morristown, NJ/Morristown
Senior Greg Arabagian won the individual 8K race with a time of 27:44 to earn his first Empire 8 Conference title. Arabagian won by 10 seconds and was 23 second faster than runners from any non-Stevens school.
Women’s Cross Country Runner – Utica
Kaitlyn Stinson, Junior – South Kortright, NY/South Kortright
Junior Kaitlyn Stinson won the individual 6K race on an extremely tough course with a time of 23:55.4 to earn her first individual Empire 8 Conference title. Stinson led the Pioneers to their first E8 women's cross country title in program-history.
Field Hockey Offensive Player – Houghton
Nicole Jennings, Junior, Forward – Vestal, NY/Vestal
Nicole Jennings helped power the Highlanders to a 2-0 week as she recorded three goals and one assists. Jennings score the game winning goal less than three minutes into overtime to give Houghton the win over Geneseo. On Saturday, Jennings scored two goals in the win over Morrisville.
Field Hockey Defensive Player – St. John Fisher
Hannah Cooper, Senior, Defensive – Rochester, NY/Eastridge
Hannah Cooper of the St. John Fisher field hockey team was part of the defensive core that propelled the Cardinals to a 3-0 week. Cooper powered the defense as they only allowed a total of eight shots to be taken, with only three of them reaching to goalkeeper. The Cardinals posted two shutouts throughout the week, to bring their total to nine for the regular season.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Player – St. John Fisher
Justin Ferron, Senior – Rochester, NY/Spencerport
Justin Ferron highlighted his senior night and helped Fisher defeat Alfred University, 3-1, while securing the #4 seed for the Empire 8 Championship next weekend. Ferron assisted on the second goal of the game, blasting a free kick that was blocked by a wall of Alfred players. He then served it back into the box, finding the head of Justen Polk for the go-ahead goal. He then was set up for another free kick, firing it into the bottom left corner of the net for the insurance goal. Ferron tallied a goal and an assist overall, helping Fisher clinch its playoff berth.
Men’s Soccer Defensive Player – Utica
Matthew Milograno, Senior, Goalie – Marcy, NY/Whitesboro
Matthew Milograno stopped seven shots in his final collegiate game as the Pioneers came away with a 4-3 win over Stevens. He also drop kicked the ball the length of the field, deflecting off a Stevens defender, and into the back of the net with 2:05 left on the game clock to hand the Pioneers a 4-3 victory over Stevens for the first time in program-history.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Player – Alfred
Lexi Riffelbach, Sophomore, Forward – Clifton Park, NY/Catholic Central
Sophomore Lexi Riffelbach tied the Alfred University school record for most goals scored in a single game as she tallied four against Utica College. Her hat-trick plus and-one secured the Saxons’ spot in the Empire 8 Playoffs for the first time ever. In total, she took six shots on the day with all four of her on goal shots being scores.
Women’s’ Soccer Defensive – Hartwick
Cassandra Robatallie, Sophomore, Goalie – Amsterdam, NY/Amsterdam
Cassandra Robataille made 11 saves and surrendered only one goal in two games for Hartwick this week. She stopped five shots in a 1-0 loss to SUNY Oneonta on Wednesday and followed it up with a six-save performance in a 2-0 shutout of Sage which clinched the top seed in the upcoming Empire 8 Tournament. Robataille also recorded her 7th clean sheet of the season which already ties her for 8th in shutouts in program history.
Women’s Volleyball Player – Elmira
Natalie Schieder, Junior, OH – Alden, NY/Alden
Natalie Schieder amassed 99 kills (4.50 per set), 15 aces (0.68 per set), 98 digs (4.45 per set) and seven blocks (0.32 per set) in five matches on the week for the Soaring Eagles. She produced 20-plus kills in four of the five matches and had double-digit kills in all five contests. She also logged four double-doubles, giving her 20 double-doubles on the year. Her best match of the week was a 24-kill, 28-dig performance against SUNY Oneonta. The 28 digs tied her career high. Schieder concludes the 2017 regular season as the Empire 8's leader in kills per set (4.15) and is the only player in the conference to rank inside the top-5 in both kills per set and digs per set.
Women’s Volleyball Rookie – Nazareth
Jessica Barry, Freshman, Setter – Brewerton, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse
Jessica Barry had 137 assists (9.79 per set), 19 digs (1.36 per set) and three service aces over four matched during the week for Nazareth. She had her second-best setting output of the season Saturday, with 49 assists in a four set win over Rowan.
Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Nazareth
Seth Farrand, Freshman – Franklinville, NY/Franklinville
Seth Farrand set four school records over the weekend, as Nazareth defeated Alfred 154-89 on Friday and Brockport 162-108 Saturday. Farrand was part of three winning events and set school and pool records in each on Friday. He won the 50- and 100-meter freestyles in :23.56 and :52.24 respectively. He also swam on the 200-meter medley relay that finished first in 1:47.78. On Saturday, he won the 100-yard freestyle in 47.26. He also touched first in the touched first in the 100 backstroke in 53.71. Farrand was on the 200-yard medley team that won as well in 1:38.65.
Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Nazareth
Kathryn Batz, Freshman – Rochester, NY/Hilton
Kathryn Batz was a part of five winning events, including a relay that set the school record as Naz downed Alfred 166-64 Friday and Brockport 160-132 Saturday. Batz won the 200-meter freestyle (2:17.71) and swam on the winning 200 medley and 200 free relays. In the 200 medley relay, she was joined by Heffler, Kaela Santos and Bridget Geary to record a time of 2:05.79. The 200 free squad won in 1:52.34. On Saturday, Batz won the 100-yard backstroke (1:03.13) and the 200 back in 2:19.22.