Field Hockey | 9/25/2023 12:41:58 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on September 25, 2023, for games played from September 18 - September 24. It is the fourth 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 – Caleb Kasper, Houghton, Sr., Orchard Park, NY/Orchard Park
Kasper placed 43rd overall out of 265 runners for the Highlanders at the Lock Haven Invitational on Saturday, which featured several Division I and Division II programs. He completed the 8,000-meter course in a speedy time of 25:20.6 (mile rate of 5:05.9).
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Noelle Linenfelser, Houghton, So., Grand Island, NY/Grand Island
Linenfelser excelled for the Highlanders at the Lock Haven Invitational on Saturday, which featured several Division I and Division II programs. She placed 49th overall out of 286 total runners, completing the 6,000-meter course in a blistering time of 22:26.3 (6:01.1) mile rate.
FIELD HOCKEY
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jace Hunzinger, Houghton, Jr., F, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy
Hunzinger tallied eight points on a pair of goals and four assists in leading the Highlanders to a pair of conference victories last week. She tallied a goal and dished out two helpers in each of the Houghton wins over Keuka (11-0) on Wednesday and Utica (6-0) Saturday. Hunzinger now has 44 career assists in just 45 games, tying her for the E8 career mark in that category.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sophia Trozzi, St. John Fisher, Sr., GK, Warminster, PA/William Tenant
Trozzi stopped 13 shots in the Cardinals 3-2 win over Russell Sage College on Saturday, helping the team to a 1-0 start in Empire 8 play.
FOOTBALL
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Steven Frerichs, Morrisville, Sr., QB, Wilson, NY/Wilson
Frerichs led the Mustangs to a 20-19 road win in the rain over Moravian University Saturday. Frerichs connected on 5-of-8 passing attempts for 157 yards and a touchdown, a 99-yard strike in the first quarter on Morrisville's first offensive play. Frerichs added 119 net yards rushing on 24 carries, an average of 5.0 yards per carry, while collecting two more scores, including the eventual game winner in the second quarter. It is his second E8 weekly honor of 2023.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Gino Fontanarosa, Brockport, Jr., RB, Lewiston, NY/Lewiston Porter
Fontanarosa found the endzone three times for Brockport in a dominant, 59-3, victory over Lycoming on Saturday. He broke the century mark in rushing for the second straight week, recording 109 rushing yards on 19 carries (5.73 yards per carry) in three quarters of play. Fontanarosa scored three separate 3-yard touchdown runs for the Golden Eagles. His longest rush of the day was a 38-yard scamper.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Joe Copp, Alfred, Sr., LB, Minoa, NY/East Syracuse-Minoa
Copp finished with a season-high 19 tackles, including 10 solo stops in a 9-6 non-conference win over Catholic University on Saturday. Copp was additionally credited with 2.5 tackles for a loss, totaling nine yards while eight of those yards came from his two solo sacks. In the third quarter, a fumble recovery from Copp resulted in a go-ahead touchdown drive. In the following quarter, Copp made a critical solo tackle on fourth down to give the ball back to Alfred. He also added one pass breakup. Copp now has 289 career tackles and is nine tackles shy from the program's all-time career tackles record book. It is his second straight E8 weekly accolade.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Nate Wigent, Brockport, Sr., PK, Fairport, NY/Fairport
Wigent was perfect on his kicks in the 59-3 win over on Saturday. To go with his field goal make from 23 yards out, Wigent made all eight of his point after attempts to total 11 points for the Golden Eagles in the game. Wigent is perfect on the season at 18-for-18 on extra points and 3-for-3 on field goals through four weeks.
MEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jack Finnerty, Elmira, Gr., Canton, NY/Hugh C. Williams
Finnerty helped the Soaring Eagles to its first invitational championship since 2019 as Elmira went on to win the Gator Fall Invitational hosted by Russell Sage on Wednesday, while also finishing with medalist honors in the event following a 76 (plus-4) outing. On Tuesday, Finnerty finished 82 (+10) at the Elmira Invitational, while helping the Soaring Eagles to a fourth place team finish, and a ninth place individual effort at Elmira Country Club. The Soaring Eagles finished out the week with a Match Play victory over Keuka College at Lakeside Country Club on Sunday, as Finnerty defeated Dawson Miletich 1 up.
MEN’S SOCCER
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – John Locicero, Russell Sage, Sr., M, Walkill, NY/Walkill
Locicero scored a pair of penalty kick goals in Saturday's 2-0 E8 win at Houghton. He tallied in the 12th minute and added an insurance marker in the 84th minute.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jake Pawlika, Nazareth, Jr., M, Oneida, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill
Pawlika continued his streak with at least one goal in each game in 2023 with single goals at Oswego and at Hartwick and helped Nazareth remain undefeated with two wins (2-0 over Oswego and 1-0 over Hartwick). Pawlika has eight goals in eight games this season and is one of just two players in the country that has scored in every game this season. It is his second consecutive E8 weekly honor.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Patrick Larkin, Nazareth, Sr., GK, Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit
Larkin helped Nazareth remain undefeated on the season with a pair of shutout efforts last week. He had one official save in the 2-0 win over Oswego and then stopped five shots in the 1-0 Empire 8 win over Hartwick Saturday. He now has three consecutive clean sheets and has not allowed a goal in 318:17.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Abby Wilson, Alfred, Sr., M/F, Rochester, NY/Greece Odyssey Academy
Wilson scored her first two collegiate goals in a 2-2 tie with Utica University. Both of her goals came from her only two shot attempts of the game as she scored the game’s first goal in the 38th minute and tallied the tying goal with just under nine minutes left in regulation to extend Alfred’s unbeaten streak to four games.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Courtney Bush, Russell Sage, So., D, Schenectady, NY/Mohonasen
Bush registered an assist on the lone goal of Saturday's E8 win versus Keuka. The sophomore helped hold the visiting Wolves to just four shots on target to earn the clean sheet. It is her second E8 weekly accolade of 2023.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Phoebe Olson, Hartwick, So., Jamestown, North Dakota/Jamestown
Olson helped the defending conference champion Hawks get off to a 2-0 Empire 8 start, going undefeated in both singles and doubles matches across the weekend. Olson was dominant at Houghton, winning first doubles with her partner 8-1 and her first singles match 6-0, 6-3. Despite two tightly contested matches against Russell Sage, Olson remained unbeaten, winning her first doubles match 8-5 and outlasting Tirzah Spivey at first singles 6-3, 4-6, 10-5.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Catherine Zak, Nazareth, So., Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury
Zak recorded four wins over the weekend as Nazareth opened Empire 8 play with a win over Utica and a close loss to Alfred. Zak and partner freshman Kenna Ellis won at No. 1 doubles 8-4 vs. Utica and 8-5 vs. Alfred. At No. 1 singles, Zak posted a 7-5, 6-4 win over former All-E8 selection Ellen Lyga of Utica and a 6-1, 6-0 victory over 2022 E8 Co-Rookie of the Year Alina Zabihailo of Alfred.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Eleanor Cepiel, Utica, Gr., OH, West Sand Lake, NY/Academy of the Holy Names
Cepiel was named to the Worthington Classic All-Tournament team at Catholic University after amassing 83 digs (5.2 per set) and 68 kills (4.25 per set) while setting multiple career-highs. She turned in back-to-back incredible stat lines on Saturday with a career-high 25 kills and 33 digs in a five-set win over Arcadia and followed this up with 21 kills and a career-high 36 digs in a four-set victory over Cedar Crest. Cepiel also added nine service aces and seven assists over the weekend.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Dayna Edholm, Keuka, Sr., OH, Buffalo, NY/Sweet Home
Edholm helped Keuka push their winning streak to five matches on Saturday as the Wolves swept a tri-match at Pitt.-Bradford. In the opener, Edholm hit 26 kills and also led the Wolves with 15 digs in a four-set victory over the hosts. Her 26 kills were tied for the 13th most kills in a four-set match in Division III this season. She then followed that up with 10 kills in a win over Penn College. She has recorded double-digit kills in all but one match this season. She has also been efficient. In totaling 36 kills for the week, she only committed six errors, hitting a combined .429 in both matches.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Kaylene Noble, St. John Fisher, Fr., OH, Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius
Noble earned Heron Invitational All-Tournament Team accolades over the weekend, as the Cardinals defeated Stevens for the first time in program history and knocked off host William Smith College. She slammed 46 kills on a .268 hitting percentage and also added 29 digs, seven blocks and four service aces in 11 sets across three matches. Noble slammed a season-high 20 kills (.357 hitting percentage) to go along with nine digs in a four-set win over William Smith. She added 12 kills, 11 digs and three blocks against SUNY Cortland.
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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