Field Hockey | 10/23/2023 12:52:22 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on October 23, 2023, for games played from October 16 – October 22. It is the eighth 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 and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming and diving and women’s volleyball.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Bennett Melita, Utica, Fr., Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville
Melita was the overall race winner at the Hamilton College Tune-Up on Saturday, completing the 5,000-meter in a time of 15:51.6, nearly 15 seconds ahead of the field. He recorded a mile rate of 5:06.3 and defeated 103 other runners. It is Melita’s fifth Empire 8 weekly accolade of the 2023 season.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Noelle Linenfelser, Houghton, So., Grand Island, NY/Grand Island
Linenfelser was the top Empire 8 finisher and placed fourth overall out of 111 runners in a time of 15:28.4 over the 4,000-meter course. She recorded a mile rate of 6:13.5. It is Linenfelser’s second E8 weekly accolade of the 2023 season.
FIELD HOCKEY
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Amy Stevens, Russell Sage, Gr., M, Castle Creek, NY/Whitney Point
Stevens equaled Russell Sage’s single game record with four goals, all in the first half during Saturday's Empire 8 win vs. Elmira. She opened the scoring just 1:39 in, added her second goal at the 7:09 mark and had a hat-trick in the book right before the first quarter ended. Stevens added her fourth goal of the day with just over two minutes left in the second quarter. Stevens leads the E8 in scoring with 39 points on 16 goals and seven assists.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sophia Trozzi, St. John Fisher, Sr., GK, Warminster, PA/William Tennant
After a shutout half of work on Wednesday against Elmira, Trozzi made seven saves while allowing just one goal in a key 2-1 victory over Hartwick that for the moment put the Cardinals in sole possession of first place in the E8 standings on Saturday. It is Trozzi’s third E8 weekly honor of 2023.
FOOTBALL
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Zac Boyes, Cortland, Jr., QB, Buffalo, NY/Kenmore West
Boyes completed 18-of-24 passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions and ran for 92 yards on 11 carries with one score in Cortland's 42-14 win at St. John Fisher. His 1-yard touchdown run gave Cortland an early 7-0 lead. His TD passes of 6, 11 and 13 yards all came in the first half, as the Red Dragons took a 28-7 halftime lead. Boyes extended his streak to 146 straight pass attempts without an interception. It is Boyes’ fourth E8 weekly accolade of the 2023 season.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – James Lanier, Utica, Sr., DL, Syracuse, NY/Corcoran
Lanier had a tremendous outing on defense for Utica on Saturday, helping guide the team to its first shutout since 2014 with its 28-0 win over the Saxons. Lanier led the team with seven total tackles (six solo) including 1.5 tackles for a loss. One of his tackles for a loss resulted in two points for Utica as he broke through the Alfred offensive line for a fourth quarter safety.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Mike Talbert Jr., Brockport, Jr., LB, Wyandanch, NY/Saint Anthony’s
Talbert Jr. returned to the field this week for the Golden Eagles and helped lead a dominant defensive performance against Morrisville. Defeating the Mustangs, 49-0, Talbert along with the rest of the defense held the opponent to just 45 yards of total offense and only four first downs for the game. After missing the last two weeks of action, Talbert came up with five tackles, 1.5 tackles for a loss, 1.0 sacks, and a quarterback hurry. Collectively, Brockport posted its second straight shutout. It is Talbert’s second E8 honor of 2023.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Freddie Callo, Utica, Jr., P, Milton, NY/Marlboro Central
Despite limited punting attempts, Freddie Callo made an impact in Utica's 28-0 win at Alfred on Saturday. Over his three punts, Callo averaged 45.7 yards per attempt with a long of 66. On that 66-yard punt he pinned the Saxons on their own one yard line which ultimately resulted in a safety and two points of the Pioneers.
MEN’S SOCCER
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sean Burke, Hartwick, Jr., M, West Midlands, England/Medaille University
Burke helped the Hawks secure the No. 4 seed in the Empire 8 playoffs after scoring both Hartwick goals in a 2-2 tie at Houghton on Saturday. He was also instrumental in Hartwick's win on Wednesday against Keuka helping coordinate the squad's offensive attack in a 2-0 win. Burke scored in the 24th and 56th minutes on Saturday, giving Hartwick the lead in both instances.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Chase Freeland, Alfred, Sr., M, Hornell, NY/Hornell
Freeland, after a surprise visit from his sister, serving in the United States Airforce, for Senior Day, scored the only two goals of the day in a crucial win over Utica University. His first shot was a low, hard hit shot from just beyond the 18-yard box, finding the bottom left corner of the net for what would ultimately be the game-winning goal. His second goal was from 43 yards out, chipping the ball forward and over the outstretched hand of the Pioneer keeper.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Matthew Osmundson, Alfred, Jr., GK, Draper, UT/Juan Diego Catholic
In a must-win matchup, Osmundson and his defense faced 23 shots with eight on goal. The junior transfer made all eight saves for the 2-0 shutout win over the Pioneers of Utica University. Utica held the advantage in corner kicks, 8-2, as Osmundson led the defense that erased all eight opportunities for the Pioneers. It is his second E8 weekly accolade of 2023.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jenn Kirker, St. John Fisher, Gr., M, Rexford, NY/Shenedehowa
Kirker recorded a hat trick, which was the first for the Cardinals this season, in lifting her team to a 5-0 victory over Houghton on Senior Night Saturday evening. Kirker scored in the 15th, 30th, and 50th minute of the game to bring her season total to six goals.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kiani Barnard-Pratt, Alfred, So., GK, Westford, MA/Westford Academy
Barnard-Pratt helped the Saxons clinch a spot in the Empire 8 Championship Tournament and continue their undefeated streak in conference action (2-0-5 record) with a shutout win at Houghton University and a 0-0 draw against Hartwick College. She started the week with three saves in the 2-0 win at Houghton and ended with a game-high, six saves in the scoreless draw as the Saxons punched their ticket to the postseason.
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Will LaMastus, Alfred, Jr., Backstroke, Maumee, OH/Anthony Wayne
Against national powerhouse Rochester Institute of Technology, LaMastus recorded one gold and three silver in the Saxons’ season-opener. He was one of two Saxons to win an event against the Tigers, taking the first place finish in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 53.29, winning by just over two seconds. He had one individual second place finish as he swam a 2:02.69 in the 200-yard backstroke, less than a second from the first place time of 2:01.83. In relays, LaMastus joined his brother, Wade, Fernando Lagos and Emmanuel Drappatz for a second place finish in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:37.52. He had the fastest backstroke leg of the meet in the relay, swimming a 24.67. He was part of the 200-yard freestyle relay that recorded a time of 1:29.57.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Min-Syun Chen, Hartwick, Fr., Breaststroke/Individual Medley, Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs
Chen helped the Hawks to wins over The College of St. Rose and SUNY Delhi on Saturday, taking first in the 100 Breaststroke, the 200-yard individual medley, and as a member of the 200-yard medley relay. She also placed second in the 200-yard breaststroke, just tenths of a second behind teammate Courtney Pierce.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Carney Knapp, Keuka, Sr., MH, Horseheads, NY/Horseheads
Knapp played a major role in helping the Wolves clinch a berth in the Empire 8 Conference Tournament. Celebrating senior night on Friday, Knapp had 10 kills for the Wolves in their five-set come-from-behind victory over Alfred. On Saturday, she tied her career-high with 16 kills against just one error while hitting .625 in a victory over Elmira, which ranked as the second-best hitting percentage in a four-set match in program history.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Ana Gutman, St. John Fisher, Fr., MB, Rochester, NY/Penfield
Gutman helped the Cardinals turn in a 2-0 week with wins over SUNY Morrisville and Houghton University. In the first win of the week against the Mustangs, Gutman had 12 kills on an efficient .611 hitting percentage. She also added two block assists. On Thursday, Gutman continued to be efficient, recorded eight kills on a .583 hitting percentage, and she added two more block assists and one dig. It is her third E8 weekly accolade.
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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