Athletes of the Week: March 19-25, 2018
The Empire 8 Athletic Conference has announced that 14 student-athletes in eight different sports have been recognized for outstanding play during the week of March 19-25, 2018....
Baseball Player – Ithaca
Tage Johnson, Senior, Infield – Jamestown, NY/Frewsburg
Tage Johnson reached base safely in 14 of his 17 plate appearances (.824 on base percentage) on the week, going 7-for-10 with two doubles, a triple and a home run as the Highlanders won three of their four games. Johnson slugged 1.300 and added three walks, four hit-by-pitch, nine runs and eight RBI.
Baseball Pitcher– St. John Fisher
Anthony Brophy, Sophomore – North Tonawanda, NY/St. Joseph’s
Anthony Brophy of the St. John Fisher College baseball team earned a win in his lone start of the week as the Cardinals swept both ends of a doubleheader on Sunday at Elmira. Brophy tossed a complete game shutout after going 7.0 innings where he scattered just five hits in all. The North Tonawanda native did not surrender a walk and recorded six strikeouts on the day. Brophy kept Elmira guessing all afternoon as the left-hander did not have a runner reach third base.
Softball Player– Elmira
Maddy Johnson, Junior, CF – Rome, PA/Northeast Bradford
Maddy Johnson picked up a hit in nine of her 10 at-bats in three games over the weekend, resulting in a .900 batting average and a 1.100 slugging percentage as Elmira opened the 2018 season. Johnson paced the Soaring Eagles in hits (9), runs (5), and stolen bases (2), as Elmira went 2-1 in the first weekend. The centerfielder went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in a 5-2 win over Hilbert on Friday, which included an incredible over-the-shoulder catch in center field to steal extra bases and prevent a run from scoring in the fourth inning. In Sunday's doubleheader against Cazenovia, she posted a hit in all seven at-bats. Johnson was a perfect 3-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored in a 14-2 victory in the early game and capped off the twin bill by batting 4-for-4 with one run and two stolen bases.
Softball Pitcher– Elmira
McKenzie Slaven, Sophomore – Horseheads, NY/Thomas A. Edison
McKenzie Slaven won her collegiate debut in the pitcher's circle on Sunday afternoon with a five-inning complete game in a 14-2 victory over Cazenovia. She scattered just two runs on six hits without issuing a walk. Slaven struck out four batters, two in the third and back-to-back to end the fourth inning and also induced an inning-ending double play to end the first.
Men’s Lacrosse Player – Alfred
Shane Weber, Sophomore, Defense – Hull, MA/Hull
Sophomore Shane Weber had a dominant week, defensively, as he led the Saxons in ground balls and caused turnovers during Alfred University's 1-1 week. Weber had 11 ground balls and six caused turnovers against Elmira College in the Saxons' Empire 8 Conference-opening win. Earlier in the week, he had eight ground balls and five caused turnovers against Oswego State. In both games, Weber took one shot, put it on goal and behind the goalie as he tallied his first two goals of the season. He also was credited with an assist in both matches.
Men’s Lacrosse Goalie – Stevens
Carson White, Junior – Downingtown, PA/Downingtown STEM Academy
Carson White allowed six goals, while making eight saves in 53 minutes of action against rival Nazareth, in Stevens' 20-8 victory to open conference play. Additionally, the junior made 10 saves as the Ducks topped Williams College, 15-10.
Women’s Lacrosse Player – Houghton
Alyssa Strom, Senior, Midfield – Tonawanda, NY/Sweet Homes
Alyssa Strom led Houghton to three wins in a row last week which is only the second time ever in program history the Highlanders have won three games in a row. She finished the week with 10 goals, one assist., 17 groundballs, five caused turnovers and 14 draw controls. Strom started the week with two goals on four shots with seven groundballs and eight draw controls in the win over Hilbert on Tuesday. Two days later she doubled her offensive output with four goals in the win against Cazenovia. Strom completed her week with four goals, one assist and six groundballs in the Empire 8 win over Sage.
Women’s Lacrosse Goalie – Stevens
Stephanie Schnelzer, Senior – Carmel, IN/Carmel
Stephanie Schnelzer allowed seven goals, while make nine saves against Nazareth to pick up her fifth win of the season. Schnelzer and the Duck defense held the Golden Flyers to just one second half goal to seal the 11-7 win.
Men’s Tennis Player – Stevens
Bryan Szayna, Freshman – Ambler, PA/Upper Dublin
Bryan Szayna went a perfect 4-0 as Stevens split a pair of regional matches with the University of Rochester and Hobart College. In doubles play, he paired with senior Danny Polk in the number two slot to earn an 8-7 (7-0) decision against the Yellowjackets and then won an 8-3 decision against Hobart. In singles play, Szayna won in straight sets (6-0, 6-3) in the fifth slot against Rochester and then won again in straight sets (6-0, 6-2) against Hobart in the sixth position.
Men’s Volleyball Player – Elmira
Matthew Buffum, Senior, Middle Blocker – Chesterfield, MO/Parkway Central
Matthew Buffum led Elmira with a .465 hitting percentage, while also ranking second with 24 kills, a 2.67 kills-per-set average and 10 blocks in a pair of matches. Buffum opened the weekend with 10 kills and a .563 hitting percentage to guide EC to a 3-1 win over St. John Fisher, before he recorded 14 kills and a .407 attacking clip in a 3-2 comeback victory over Nazareth.
Men’s Volleyball Rookie – St. John Fisher
Paul Hackford, Freshman, Setter – Orchard, Park, NY/Orchard Park
Paul Hackford of the St. John Fisher College men’s volleyball team had himself another two great all-around performances this past weekend. Hackford finished the four set contest versus Elmira on Saturday with 28 assists, four kills, zero errors, five digs and three total blocks. In the Cardinal three set victory over Bard, the freshman notched a game-high 34 assists to go along with two kills, two service aces, six digs, and four total blocks.
Women’s Outdoor Track Athlete – Alfred
Megan Alper, Sophomore – Belmont, MA/Belmont
Sophomore Megan Alper finished second in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.26 to lead the pack at the Division II, California University of Pennsylvania Early Bird Meet. She also finished eighth in the 100-meter dash with a time of 13.55. She also teamed with Danielle Perry, Krissy Roberts and Frances Sariego in the 4x100-meter relay in which they took third with a time of 54.56.
Women’s Outdoor Field Athlete – Nazareth
Alycia Eaton, Junior – Remsen, NY/Remsen
Alycia Eaton won the triple jump with a distance of 11.39 meters at the Dr. Jack Toms Alumni Invitational over the weekend. She also was third in the long jump (5.29 meters.
Men’s Outdoor Track Athlete – Nazareth
Nick LaBarbera, Senior – Red Hook, NY/Red Hook
LaBarbera had a winning time of :22.52 to take the 200 and went :49.20 in the 400 to take first place in both events at the Dr. Jack Toms Alumni Invitational at Lynchburg Friday and Saturday.
Men’s Outdoor Field Athlete – No Nominations