General | 5/24/2021 11:58:31 AM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on May 24, 2021, for games played from May 17-May 23. It is the 17th and final Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2020-21 season.
BASEBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Justin Graham, St. John Fisher, Gr., SS, Orlando, FL/Webster Schroeder
Graham was named 2021 Empire 8 Tournament Most Valuable Player after leading St. John Fisher to the league title. Graham hit .778 (7-for-9) in the two-game sweep over Utica Friday, with eight runs scored, four RBI, two doubles, two runs scored and two walks. He reached base all six times in his final game at Dugan Yard, going 5-for-5 with five scored. Overall, Graham hit .650 during the Empire 8 Tournament with 15 runs scored and 11 RBI, four doubles, a triple, home run, three walks and three stolen bases in four games.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Kyle Swiecki, Utica, Sr., Decathlon, Boonville, NY/Adirondack
Swiecki broke the Utica program record in the decathlon with 6,106 points to finish second overall in the event at the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Championship. Swiecki earned an impressive 2,778 points in the four track events, placing second in the 400-meter dash (51.11 seconds), third in the 100-meters (11.45 seconds) and third in the 110-meter hurdles (15.47 meters). He was also the top point scorer in the high jump, clearing 1.89 meters. Swiecki’s score was the 27th best in all of Division III this year.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Kyle Rollins, St. John Fisher, Sr., Jumps, Groveland, NY/Geneseo
Rollins won the individual title in the triple jump at the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Championship, as he leaped 15.10 meters on his fifth attempt. Rollins is the nation’s leader in the high jump and holds the second best mark in the triple jump and will look to nab two national championships in the events this week. It is Rollins’ third E8 Outdoor weekly honor of 2021.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Riley Corey, St. John Fisher, So., Distance, Waterloo, NY/Waterloo
Corey won the 10,000-meter run at the All-Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Championship, crossing the finish line nearly nine seconds in front of her nearest competitor in a time of 37:52.10, which was a personal best by nearly 50 seconds. Her time was 43rd best in all of Division III during the outdoor season.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Kelsey Wands, Utica, So., Jumps, Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro
Wands qualified for the NCAA Championships in the long jump after posting a career-best leap of 5.84 meters to finish second overall at the AARTFC Outdoor Championships on Thursday from St. John Fisher. She will compete as the fourth overall seed at nationals in the event.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Brenna Johnson, Nazareth, Jr., Sprints/Jumps, Cortland, NY/Homer
Johnson qualified for the NCAA Championships in the long jump after posting a career-best leap of 5.76 meters to finish third overall at the AARTFC Outdoor Championships on Thursday from St. John Fisher. She will compete as the 13th overall seed at nationals in the event, despite having competed in the event for just one month. It is Johnson’s fourth E8 Outdoor weekly honor of 2021.
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished 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 E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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