Football | 10/22/2024 8:19:53 AM
The SUNY Cortland offensive line of
Nate Graser,
Aidan Glynn,
Ryan Bitka,
Jayden Lont and
Cody Aikey was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week on Tuesday, Oct. 22. The group earned their second weekly honor of the season and became the 10th different Empire 8 players/position groups to earn D3football.com Team of the Week honors in 2024.
Cortland, ranked second in both the D3football.com and AFCA Division III national polls, finished with 587 yards of total offense (289 rushing and 298 passing) and averaged 7.7 yards per play in a 59-17 win at Alfred on Saturday. The Red Dragons finished with 35 first downs in the win and held the ball for nearly 34 minutes. Quarterback Zac Boyes threw for 298 yards and four touchdowns, while running back Ethan Gallo carried the ball 23 times for 173 yards and four touchdowns. He became the first Red Dragons running back to score four TDs in a game since 2011.
The standout offensive line is a major reason why the Red Dragons are near the top of several offensive categories in Division III. Cortland is third nationally, averaging 55.2 points per game, sixth with 170 total first downs, seventh in total offense, averaging 516.8 yards per game and tenth in rushing offense, averaging 262 yards on the ground.
League play continues for all eight Empire 8 teams on Saturday, Oct. 26. Hartwick College hosts Hilbert College at noon, while Cortland hosts St. John Fisher University and Utica University hosts Alfred University at 1 p.m. SUNY Brockport and SUNY Morrisville get underway from Brockport at 2 p.m. Both Cortland and Brockport look to remain unbeaten in league play.
2024 Empire 8 D3football.com Team of the Week Recipients
Oct. 22 (Week 7) - Nate Graser, Aidan Glynn, Ryan Bitka, Jack McGrath, Cody Aikey, OL, SUNY Cortland
Oct. 8 (Week 5) - Jaden AlfanoStJohn, WR, SUNY Cortland
Oct. 8 (Week 5) - Mike Talbert, Jr., LB, SUNY Brockport
Oct. 1 (Week 4) - Alex Coffey, TE, Alfred
Sept. 24 (Week 3) - Jaden AlfanoStJohn, KR/WR, SUNY Cortland
Sept. 24 (Week 3) - Kyle Haettich, S, SUNY Brockport
Sept. 24 (Week 3) - Quamel Jarvis, TE, SUNY Morrisville
Sept. 24 (Week 3) - John Stroughn, DT, Utica
Sept. 17 (Week 2) - Dion Anderson, WR, Alfred
Sept. 17 (Week 2) - Kevin Whalen, Aidan Glynn, Ryan Bitka, Jack McGrath, Cody Aikey, OL, 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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