Athletes of the Week: Sept. 4-10, 2017
Empire 8 student-athletes continued to perform at a high level in the early part of the Fall 2017 season.
Football Offensive Player – The College at Brockport
Joe Germinerio, Sophomore, QB – Wynantskill, NY/LaSalle
Joe Germinerio was the centerpiece of a Brockport offense that put up 31 points against Ithaca on Saturday, accounting for 359 yards and three touchdowns. Through the air, the sophomore registered 268-yards and two touchdowns, showing off his arm strength with two touchdown passes of 40+ yards. He also netted 91 yards on 16 attempts rushing (5.7 yards-per-carry), and added a touchdown on the ground.
Football Defensive Player – Hartwick
Mark Hackett, Junior, LB – Hoosick Falls, NY/Hoosick Falls
Mark Hackett registered a pair of interceptions, one for a touchdown to give the Hawks a first-quarter lead, and added five tackles in a 45-0 win over Alfred State Saturday. He gave the Hawks all the points they would need seven minutes into the game as his 13-yard pick six made it 6-0. In addition to recording a second INT later, he added five tackles, two of which were for a loss, in the victory.
Football Special Teams Player – The College at Brockport
Eric Yaeger, Junior, P – Lockport, NY/Starpoint
Eric Yaeger was a key figure in keeping Ithaca College off the board on Saturday, pinning them deep in their own territory with four punts that averaged 42.5 yards. When the Brockport offense stalled deep in their own territory, Yaeger boomed a 49-yard punt that completely shifted fields. He was also precise in shorter-yardage situations, pinning the Bombers within their own 20-yard line on two separate occasions.
Men’s Cross Country Runner – Stevens
Greg Arabagian, Senior – Morristown, NJ/Morristown
Senior Greg Arabagian took 13th out of 121 runners at the Ron Stonsitch Invitational at Vassar College on Saturday. Arabagian's time in the 6k race was 19:48.
Women’s Cross Country Runner – Nazareth
Clarissa Hensler, Freshman – Lakeville, NY/Livonia
Clarissa Hensler repeated as the runner of the week. She finished third out of 137 runners at the Hamilton Short Course Invite on Saturday. She ran a 14:53.3 over the 4-kilometer course.
Men’s Golf Athlete – Utica
Josh Kienz, Freshman – Newburg, NY/Valley Central
Freshman Josh Kienz tied for sixth place overall out of 55 golfers at the St. Lawrence Invitational. He carded a three-over 75 on the first day and a round of 77 on day two for a combined score of 152.
Women’s Golf Player – Cortland
Danielle Bambola, Sophomore – Miller Place, NY/Miller Place
Danielle Bambola tied for fifth place out of 63 golfers at the season-opening St. Lawrence Invitational. She carded a four-over 75 each day for a combined score of 150. Bambola helped Cortland finish fourth in the final team standings while breaking a school record for two-day score (636) and tying a school mark for single-round score (316).
Field Hockey Offensive Player – St. John Fisher
Lauren Fazio, Junior, Forward – Arlington, NY/Hopewell Junction
Junior Lauren Fazio had a very impressive week offensively for the St. John Fisher College women's field hockey team. Fazio finished the week with a team leading eight points on three goals and two assists. On Tuesday September 5th. Fazio finished with a game high six points, netting at hat trick on four shots to help lead Fisher to a 6-0 win over The College at Brockport. On Sunday September 10th, the junior tallied two assists in the first half in a 4-1 win over Johns Hopkins University. The Cardinals improved their record to 2-1 on the year.
Field Hockey Defensive Player – Utica
Jordan Noga, Senior, Defender – Marcy, NY/Whitesboro
Senior Jordan Noga made two defensive saves and helped lead the Pioneer defense to a pair of wins last week. On Wednesday, she saved a goal in the first half to keep the game scoreless before Utica was able to pull away with a 3-1 win over Ithaca. Noga followed that up with another defensive save is Utica’s thrilling 3-2 come-from-behind win over Nazareth on Saturday.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Player – Houghton
Ben Lawrence, Junior, Forward – Marlborough, CT/RAW High School
Ben Lawrence had three goals and one assists in a 2-1 week for Houghton. Lawrence scored the equalizer in the 64th minute against Hiram and assisted on the game-winner in the 81st minute in a 2-1 win over Hiram on Sept. 5. Lawrence scored twice in just over a minute span (1:04) in the second half as Houghton secured a 2-0 win over Buffalo State at the Fredonia Blue Devil Classic on Sept. 8. He was named to the All-Tournament team.
Men’s Soccer Defensive Player – Sage
Mike Chriaravalloti, Junior, Goalie – Torrington, CT/Oliver Wolcott
Mike Chriaravalloti made 23 saves and earned two wins for Sage. He helped Sage to a 3-1 win over SUNY-Potsdam with 11 saves and then backed up that effort the next day with 12 saves in a 1-0 win over Clarkson for his first shutout of the year. Chriaravalloti had a .958 saves percentage on the week with a 0.5 GAA.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Player – Hartwick
Casey Boucher, Senior, Midfield – Northbridge, MA/Northbridge
Casey Boucher scored two goals in a midweek victory and added an assist on the game-winning goal in the Mayor's Cup this weekend. She scored twice to lead the Hawks in a 6-0 victory over Wells on Wednesday. On Sunday, Boucher delivered an assist in the 87th minute that clinched a 2-1 come from behind victory over Eastern Connecticut State. For her efforts, she was named to the All-Tournament Team.
Women’s’ Soccer Defensive – Stevens
Katie Goncalves, Senior, Defender – Dix Hills, NY/St. Anthony’s
Katie Goncalves led a Stevens defense that surrendered only one goal in two games, which included one clean sheet as she was named the Engineering Cup Defensive MVP. She helped limit Babson to three shots on goal as the Ducks secured a 2-1 overtime victory against the Beavers. Goncalves anchored the defense that earned its second shutout of the season in a 1-0 win against NYU.
Women’s Tennis Player – Hartwick
Kelly Napolitano, Senior – Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai
Kelly Napolitano not only snagged a 3-0 clip in singles’ play but also matched that feat in doubles as the Hawks remain unbeaten on the season. Napolitano gave up a mere nine points in six straight singles’ sets as the Hawks went 3-0 in three days. The senior also collected two sweeps, including a shutout against Utica. Napolitano has yet to drop a set in both singles and doubles this season.
Women’s Volleyball Player – Nazareth
Madison Joseph, Junior, OH – Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye-Falls Lima
Madison Joseph was named to the Lycoming Tournament All-Tournament team after helping Nazareth go 4-0 (all three set wins). She put together a well-balanced performance with 30 kills (2.73 per set), 29 digs (2.64 per set) and seven service aces. For the weekend, she delivered a .362 hitting percentage. She put down 10 kills, 13 digs and three service aces in Nazareth's win over D'Youville on Friday. She added another 10 kill performance on Saturday, to go along with seven digs in a three set win over Hartwick.
Women’s Volleyball Rookie – Elmira
Lauren Smith, Freshman, OH – Covington, PA/North Penn-Mansfield
Lauren Smith made her collegiate debut this week for the Soaring Eagles and played a major role in EC's three wins. After playing in just one set in the opener against Pitt-Bradford, Smith played in all three sets in each of Elmira's next three matches, all of which resulted in wins. She finished the week with 23 kills, 2.30 kills per set, 26 digs and six service aces. Her best match of the week came in a 3-0 win over SUNY Delhi, when she floored a season-high eight kills and finished with a season-high .316 attack percentage.