General | 10/2/2023 12:26:53 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on October 2, 2023, for games played from September 25 – October 1. It is the fifth Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2023-24 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s tennis and women’s volleyball.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Bennett Melita, Utica, Fr., Johnstown, NY/Fonda Fultonville
Melita placed sixth overall out of 265 runners for the Pioneers at the Paul Short College White Invitational hosted by Lehigh University on Saturday, which featured several standout Division III programs. He completed the 8,000-meter course in a speedy time of 25:56.5 (mile rate of 5:13.1). It is Melita’s third E8 weekly honor of the 2023 season.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Maria Stuhlman, Utica, So., Grand Island, NY/Grand Island
Stuhlman was the top finisher for Utica at the Paul Short College White Invitational hosted by Lehigh University on Saturday, which featured several standout Division III programs. She placed 114th overall out of 364 total runners, completing the 6,000-meter course in a time of 25:07.5 (6:44.3) mile rate.
FIELD HOCKEY
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Emma Cooper, St. John Fisher, Jr., F, Eden, NY/Eden
Cooper tallied 11 points on two goals and seven assists in a 2-0 week for the Cardinals this. On Wednesday, she scored a goal and added two assists in a 6-0 win over E8 foe Keuka. On Saturday, Cooper scored a goal and handed out an E8 season-high five assists in a win over Roberts Wesleyan. The five assists against the Redhawks were the second-most for a single game in St. John Fisher history.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Desirae Baumann, Utica, Fr., GK, Accord, NY/Rondout Valley
Baumann notched her second win of the season on Wednesday as her stellar play helped lift Utica to a 2-1 overtime win over Oswego State. Over nearly 66 minutes of play, Baumann allowed just one goal and made four saves that included two between the fourth quarter and overtime. In addition, she helped Utica fend off all 12 penalty corner opportunities for the Lakers.
FOOTBALL
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Zac Boyes, Cortland, Jr., QB, Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West
Boyes completed 22-of-29 passes (76 percent) for 294 yards and four touchdowns and rushed 10 times for 111 yards and two more scores in Cortland's 52-15 win at Morrisville Saturday. He threw a 70-yard touchdown pass on Cortland's first play from scrimmage and also had touchdown passes of two, 38 and 22 yards. His TD runs covered seven and nine yards, and seven of his runs covered 10 or more yards. It is his second E8 weekly honor of 2023.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Louie Usera, Brockport, Sr., DB, Port Jervis, NY/John S. Burke Catholic
Usera came up with a pair of crucial interceptions in Brockport's 35-18 win over St. John Fisher in the 18th Annual Courage Bowl Saturday. He had his first interception late in the second quarter, which led to a Brockport touchdown and 21-6 lead at the half. With Brockport ahead 21-12 and Fisher driving midway through the fourth quarter, he picked off another pass and returned the ball 48 yards as Brockport would score to put the game away shortly thereafter. Usera also made four total tackles in the game.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Corey Lichtman, Utica, Gr., K, Bellmore, NY/Mepham
Lichtman accounted for 12 Utica points with a pair of field goals and six extra points in the Pioneers 48-7 win over Hartwick on Saturday. Lichtman converted each of his six point after attempts, improving him to 22-for-23 on the season. He also converted on both field goal attempts of 31 and 40 yards. Over his six kickoffs, Lichtman averaged 58.7 yards and booted one touchback.
MEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Lincoln Crosby, Nazareth, Fr., Chevy Chase, MD/Dematha Catholic
Crosby recorded three top-10 finishes this week for Nazareth. He was second (by a single stroke) in the Keuka Tournament Wednesday with a plus-8, 80. The following day, he was eighth overall at the Utica dual match and then was the top Nazareth finisher (ninth place) at the Oswego Invitational over the weekend. He was 19th after the first day and then moved up 10 spots with a solid 3-over par, 74 on Sunday.
MEN’S SOCCER
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Martin Harguindey, Elmira, So., M, Ituzaingo, Argentina/Velez Sarsfield
Harguindey helped the Soaring Eagles to a pair of Empire 8 victories over Russell Sage and Keuka. Against the Wolves, Harguindey scored both of Elmira's goals in a 2-0 victory, earning his first on the back end of a free kick, and his second on a penalty kick. Against Russell Sage, Harguindey would score the first goal of the contest, which would go down as the game-winner as he finished the week with both game-winners. Now a two-time E8 Player of the Week in 2023, Harguindey leads all E8 student-athletes with nine goals this season.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Juan Carlos Cruz Gandia, Elmira, Fr., GK, Orlando, FL/XL Academy
Cruz Gandia helped Elmira remain undefeated in league play with a pair of shutout efforts last week. He had three saves in the 2-0 win over Keuka Wednesday and then stopped four shots in a 2-0 victory at Russell Sage Saturday. He now has four consecutive clean sheets and has not allowed a goal in 390:53.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Tatum Overton, Nazareth, So., M, Watertown, NY/Watertown
Overton led Nazareth to a 2-0 week to open Empire 8 play with two goals and an assist in the 6-0 win over Keuka Saturday. She added a pair of good scoring chances against Houghton as the Nazareth offense kept the pressure on for the entire match in a 1-0 win. Overton leads the Empire 8 with five goals and points (11). It is her second E8 weekly accolade of 2023.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Olivia Horan, Russell Sage, Fr., GK, Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville
Horan made three saves in a pair of clean sheets for the Gators as they remain unbeaten in E8 play. On Wednesday, she made one save in a 1-0 win over Elmira and stopped a pair of shots in a scoreless draw versus Alfred Saturday.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Annika Monfort, Nazareth, Fr., GK, Ontario, NY/Webster Thomas
Monfort helped Nazareth to a pair of shutout wins to start Empire 8 play, stopping all nine shots on goal. She made three saves in a 1-0 win against Houghton on Wednesday and stopped six shots in a 6-0 win over Keuka. Monfort now has 20 wins and 18 shutouts in her Nazareth career. This season, she leads the league with an .855 save percentage.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jade Killikelly, Hartwick, Sr., Jamaica, NY/The Mary Louis Academy
Killikelly was dominant over the weekend as the Hawks defeated St. John Fisher on Saturday and Nazareth on Sunday. In doubles, the senior picked up 8-6 wins in both matches at first Doubles. At second Singles, Killikelly won in straight sets in both matches, defeating her St. John Fisher opponent 6-4, 6-0, and her Nazareth opponent 6-0, 6-0.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Tessa Grover, Nazareth, Jr., S/RS, Rochester, NY/Penfield
Grover excelled for Nazareth as the Golden Flyers opened Empire 8 play with a pair of three set wins. Against Elmira on the road Friday night, Grover recorded her nation's best fifth triple-double of the season with 14 kills (.619), 17 assists and 13 digs. The following day against Alfred, she recorded a double-double with 12 kills and 10 assists. For the week, she had 26 kills (4.33/set) and a .533 attack percentage (only two errors on 45 attempts), 27 assists (4.5/set) and 16 digs. It is her second E8 weekly accolade of the season.
CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Kaylene Noble, St. John Fisher, Fr., OH, Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius
Noble was an impactful force in the two three-set sweeps to open league play versus Alfred and Elmira. In the first match of the week against the Saxons on Friday, Noble tallied 14 kills on a .333 hitting percentage and added 16 digs, one solo block and one assisted block. Against the Soaring Eagles, Noble recorded 11 kills on a .360 hitting percentage to go along with three digs and three total blocks. She led the team in points in both games, tallying 16.5 and 13.0 respectively. It is her second straight E8 weekly accolade.
CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Vanessa Seymour, Hartwick, Fr., S, Hopewell Junction, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes
Seymour orchestrated a Hartwick offense that went 2-1 over the week including a 2-0 mark in conference play against Keuka and Utica. The first year setter, recorded 42 assists in Hartwick's five-set loss at Morrisville. Over the E8 weekend, she put up 52 assists on Friday against Keuka and another 51 against Utica. Seymour also contributed defensively, recording 11 digs against Morrisville, 10 against Keuka, and 11 against Utica.
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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