Empire 8 Conference Players of the Week - October 8
Empire 8 Players of the Week
October 1 - October 7
Cross Country
Men's Runner - Mitchell Marlow, Utica (Junior, Malone, N.Y.)
Marlow set the standard for Utica's runner-up finish at Saturday's Hamilton College Invitational. The junior led the Pioneers to the finish line for a second time this season, finishing third overall. He got around the eight-kilometer layout on the grounds of the Hamilton golf course in a time of 26:44, and averaged a 5:23 mile while doing so. Marlow was just one of four runners to cross the line under 27 minutes. The Pioneers scored 57 points while besting longtime Division III power Ithaca, and Division II program Le Moyne.
Women's Runner - Kaitlyn Stinson, Utica (Senior, South Kortright, N.Y.)
Stinson led Utica to the finish line for a fifth consecutive race to start 2018 as her third-place finish headlined a fourth-place team finish at the Hamilton College Invitational. In a field that included regionally ranked Hamilton, Ithaca, and Division II Le Moyne, the reigning Empire 8 champion held her own as she got around the muddy five-kilometer course in a time of 19:15. The senior averaged a 6:12 mile as one of ten finishers to complete the course in under 20 minutes.
Field Hockey
Offensive Player- Rachel Buyan, Washington and Jefferson (Senior, Huntington Beach, Calif.)
Buyan had a tremendous week for the No. 19-ranked Presidents, helping Washington and Jefferson go 3-0 overall and 2-0 in E8 play. She accounted for six goals and 13 points, highlighted by a career-high four goals (plus an assist) against Frostburg State on Wednesday, before adding two more goals on Sunday against Sage. In the Sage match, Buyan moved into third place on the W&J career goals and points list, also becoming just the fourth President to reach 100 career points in the process.
Defensive Player- Rena Israel, Washington & Jefferson (Sophomore, Wexford, Pa.)
Israel helped No. 19 Wahington and Jefferson post its seventh, eighth and ninth shutouts in 11 matches by posting 210 scoreless minutes in cage during a 3-0 week. She made 12 total saves, including a career-high eight at Hartwick on Saturday and three versus Frostburg State earlier in the week. The sophomore leads the nation in both goals against average (0.11) and save percentage (.960).
Football
Offensive Player - Brett Segala, SUNY Cortland (Junior, Webster, N.Y.)
Segala completed 27-33 passes for 340 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions in Cortland's 51-14 win vs. Morrisville State. He also rushed for a team-high 56 yards and a TD on nine carries. Segala was 18-24 passing for 252 yards and three scores in the first half alone as the Red Dragons built a 30-0 halftime lead. He completed TD passes of 58, 10, 33 and 7 yards, and he ran for a 4-yard score.
Defensive Player - Mark Taylor, Utica (Junior, Buffalo, N.Y.)
Taylor turned in a tremendous effort defensively as part of a unit that held St. John Fisher to just seven points in a 33-7 Utica win on Saturday. He spearheaded the defensive charge with a pair of interceptions to go along with a season-high nine tackles. He expanded on a narrow two point lead for the Pioneers when he picked off a pass and promptly returned it 74 yards for his first collegiate interception return touchdown. He added another interception in the fourth quarter as he secured a pass that was initially tipped by Utica safety Ben Vargas.
Special Teams Player - Dustin Moyle, Brockport (Junior, Carthage, N.Y.)
Moyle was perfect for Brockport in a 55-7 road win over Empire 8 foe Hartwick. The junior converted on two field goal attempts, including a 21-yard boot and a 37-yard boot. He was also flawless on all six extra point attempts, racking up 12 points for the Golden Eagles in the win.
Men's Golf
Player - Michael Long, St. John Fisher (Senior, Geneva, N.Y.)
Long competed in a pair of tournaments last week as the Cardinals fared well in the Royal Lakes Oglethorpe Fall Invitational, before storming back to win the Mason-Dixon Collegiate Invite over the weekend. In Atlanta, Long finished tied for 26th place at 4 after a historic second round that saw the senior post a 68 (-4), which marked just the 15th time in program history that a golfer had been four under par. Long followed up that performance with a 12th place finish at the Mason-Dixon Collegiate Invite with a 36-hole score of 6 overall. Over 72 holes last week, Long shot a combined 10-over with 10 birdies in all.
Men's Soccer
Offensive Player- Haddy Abdelhady, Stevens (Senior, Nutley, N.J.)
Abdelhady scored a pair of goals as Stevens topped both Rutgers-Newark and Elmira. The senior midfielder only took two shots during the two games, but found the back of the net on both, enabling the senior to net two game-winning goals for the Ducks.
Defensive Player- Brian Wilkin, Nazareth (Junior, Hilton, N.Y.)
Wilkin posted his sixth shutout of the season and 13th of his career by recording five saves in Saturday's 1-0 win over St. John Fisher. Wilkin has played every minute of every game for the Golden Flyers this season and lowered his goals-against average to 0.62 while raising his save percentage to .851.
Women's Soccer
Offensive Player- Julia Panko, Stevens (Junior, Millstone Township, N.Y.)
Panko totaled two goals and two assists as the Ducks went a perfect 3-0 during the review period. The Millstone Township, N.J. native netted the game-winner against Houghton and assisted on a goal in a key 2-1 victory over nearby rival Montclair State.
Defensive Player- Allison Wagner, Utica (Junior, Canandaigua, N.Y.)
Wagner had a busy week for the Pioneers as she kept Utica within a single goal in a pair of defeats. On Wednesday, she stopped four of the six shots she saw in a 2-1 Empire 8 defeat against Sage. On Sunday, she posted her second highest save total of the season with 18 in a 1-0 loss against Hamilton.
Women's Tennis
Player - Agatha Malinowski, Stevens (Freshman, Kinnelon, N.J.)
Malinowski concluded the regular season with a perfect record in both singles and doubles play with victories over Stockton, Sage and Elmira to improve to 9-0. The reigning two-time Player of the Week dropped just four points over three singles matches in the No. 1 position and then paired with partner Isabella Calandra to sweep three matches at No. 1 doubles.
Women's Volleyball
Co-Player / Rookie - Haley Unverdorben, Houghton (Freshman, Cuba, N.Y.)
Unverdorben ran a 5/1 in each of Houghton's three matches this past week. The first-year student-athlete put up an average of 8.6 assists per set with 11 per set against D'Youville and 8.75 per set against conference opponent, Utica. She also tallied 10 kills in those 10 sets, three blocks, 18 digs and added five aces on the week.
Co-Player / Rookie- Alea Steigerwald, St. John Fisher (Freshman, Penfield, N.Y.)
Steigerwald and St. John Fisher finished up the past week with three straight Empire 8 Conference victories, while only dropping one set in three matches. She started the week with a game-high 16 kills, 22 digs, and a hitting percentage of .350 in a Cardinal straight set win over Utica. The freshman would then notch 17 kills with a .342 hitting percentage in a win over Alfred, followed by 16 kills, 16 digs, and three service aces in a victory over Sage, while once again finishing with a .351 hitting percentage.
About the Empire 8 Conference
The members of the Empire 8 are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and aspire to be regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership seeks to distinguish itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the Empire 8.