General | 4/8/2024 12:45:40 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on April 8, 2024, for games played from April 1 – April 7, 2024. It is the 31st Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2023-24 season. Sports featured include baseball, softball, men’s golf, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, men’s and women’s outdoor track and field and men’s volleyball.
BASEBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jeremey Wilcox, Houghton, Sr., P/OF, Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna
Wilcox was contributing to all facets this past week for the Highlanders. Wilcox batted .500 as he logged an OPS of 1.325 on the week with a double, six RBI, three runs scored, and three walks while also recording six putouts along with an assist (and no errors) in the outfield. Wilcox even appeared on the mound and locked down saves in both ends of a doubleheader sweep at Penn State-Du Bois on Monday. He drove in five runs at the plate in the 18-16 game two win.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Ethan Fulton, St. John Fisher, So., P/OF, Trumansburg, NY/Trumansburg
Fulton excelled against Elmira on Sunday, throwing a complete seven-inning shutout, allowing just three hits while striking out a career-high nine batters in the 4-0 win. Fulton also drove in three runs in a 12-1 win over the Soaring Eagles on Saturday.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Austin Rhodes, Utica, Fr., P, Wappingers Falls, NY/Kennedy Catholic
Rhodes earned his first career victory in Utica's game two win over Alfred University on Sunday. The first-year hurler tossed a seven-inning complete-game shutout over just 76 pitches and two batters over the minimum faced. Rhodes gave up just one hit and walked a pair of batters while striking out nine.
SOFTBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Maddie Donlin, St. John Fisher, Jr., OF, Vestal, NY/Vestal
Donlin hit .750 (6-of-8) while ripping a pair of doubles and driving in five runs, leading the Cardinals to a pair of 8-0 wins over Alfred University on Saturday in the Empire 8 opening doubleheader for both teams. Donlin was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and run scored in game one and went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs batted in during game two. Donlin improved her batting average on the season from .386 to .442 with her performances Saturday.
CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Ainsley Evanetski, St. John Fisher, Jr., P, Rochester, NY/Brighton
Evanetski fired a complete-game three-hit shutout in the Empire 8 opener on Saturday, an 8-0 win over Alfred in six innings. She fired 76 pitches and struck out seven Saxons to earn her fifth win of the season and lower her earned run average to 1.37 on the season. It is her second 8 weekly accolade of the 2024 season.
CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Leah Madore, Russell Sage, So., P, Williamsville, VT/Brattleboro Union
Madore scattered seven hits and allowed just an unearned run, while striking out 16 batters over 10 innings during both ends of Russell Sage’s doubleheader split against Keuka on Sunday, which kicked off Empire 8 play. She struck out 12 batters in a five-inning complete-game 8-0 victory in the opener and came out of the bullpen to allow an unearned run over the final five innings in a 6-3 loss.
MEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Luke Buckley, St. John Fisher, Sr., Rochester, NY/Irondequoit
Buckley shot a four-over-par 75 to begin action at the two-day Hershey Cup from Hershey Country Club on Sunday, tops among all E8 student-athletes.
MEN’S LACROSSE
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Nate Kettle, Russell Sage, So., A, Killbuck, NY/Salamanca
Kettle registered 18 points on nine goals and nine assists in a pair of wins for the Gators. On Tuesday, Kettle had nine points on six goals and three assists in an 18-12 win over Vermont State Castleton. He followed that up with a second nine-point performance, this time on three goals and six assists in a 17-7 win over Empire 8 foe Keuka College on Saturday. He added three ground balls on the week. It is Kettle’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Kaiden Johnson, Hartwick, Sr., G, Wakefield, MA/Wakefield Memorial
Johnson was instrumental in helping Hartwick go 1-1 in a pair of key Empire 8 contests. On Wednesday, the first-year goalkeeper earned his first collegiate victory between the pipes recording 15 saves while only allowing four goals for a .789 save percentage, as the Hawks defeated Utica 14-4. Johnson added 13 saves in a close loss to St. John Fisher on Saturday. He ended the week with a .560 save percentage.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Amelia Booth, Alfred, Jr., A, Staatsburg, NY/FDR
Booth was instrumental for the Saxons, tallying 10 goals, 12 points and 11 draw controls in a pair of wins against SUNY Morrisville and Keuka College. In a high-scoring 20-10 win against the Mustangs, Booth recorded six goals to go with a pair of assists and was additionally credited with five draw controls for the Saxons. Against Keuka, Booth once again led the offense for Alfred University with four goals from nine total shots. She additionally recorded six draw controls. It is Booth’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Alyssa Piechota, Alfred, Sr., G, Webster, NY/Webster Thomas
Piechota was efficient in goal for the Saxons, earning two wins against SUNY Morrisville and Keuka College, while making 24 saves for a .774 save percentage. Against the Mustangs, Piechota recorded 10 saves across three quarters of action. She was additionally responsible for seven ground balls and three caused turnovers. In a 12-2 win against Keuka, Piechota finished the game with 14 saves. Piechota and the Saxons held the Wolves without a goal throughout the entire second half. She was additionally credited with four ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers.
MEN’S TENNIS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Levi Webb, Houghton, Sr., Houghton, NY/Fillmore Central
Webb helped the defending Empire 8 Champion Highlanders defeat Nazareth 6-3 in their conference opener on Saturday. Webb contributed two of the six victories by winning first doubles with Nolan Zach by a score of 8-2 and then second singles over Dominic Vito, 6-2, 6-3.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Michael Puglisi, Nazareth, So., Sprints, Charlton, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
Puglisi set a new personal best time of 49.31 seconds, winning the 400-meter dash at the University of Rochester Alumni Invitational on Sunday. He also was part of the 4 x 400-meter relay team that placed third overall. Puglisi’s time of 49.31 seconds in the 400-meters puts him in the top-70 nationally this season.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Justin Swavely, Utica, Sr., Throws, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy
Swavely set a new school record throw of 63.54m in the javelin throw. Not only is this a school record and personal best throw for Swavely, but it also broke a 16-year-old Empire 8 record, facility record, and has him currently ranked fourth nationally in NCAA III. Swavely smashed the previous conference record set in 2008 by NCAA Division III Champion Stephen Burns of RIT.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Elizabeth Ingellis, Russell Sage, Jr., Distance, Kingston, NY/Kingston
Ingellis won the 10,000-meter run at Saturday's Utica Invitational with a time of 39:04.82. The clocking qualified her for the Regional Championships and is currently the 58th best time in all of Division III this season.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Lea Richard, Nazareth, Sr., Throws, Gansevoort, NY/South Glens Falls
Richard broke her own school record in the hammer throw as she placed second overall and first among Division III throwers with a distance of 51.37 meters (168' 6"). She was also 12th in the discus with a toss of 32.16 meters (105' 6"). Her distance in the hammer throw is currently 15th in best in Division III.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Owen Wickens, Nazareth, Sr., OH/L, Rochester, NY/McQuaid Jesuit
Wickens led Nazareth to a key victory over No. 16 SUNY New Paltz to clinch a spot in the UVC Tournament. He finished the weekend with 37 kills (.380 and 5.29 per set) and added three aces, 10 digs and three blocks for 41.5 points. In the win over New Paltz, he led Nazareth with 25 kills and a .524 attack percentage. It is Wickens’ third E8 weekly honor of 2024.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Luke Jata, Elmira, Fr., OH, Smithtown, NY/Hauppauge
Jata slammed 19 kills to go along with 14 digs as the Soaring Eagles wrapped up the 2024 season against Wilkes and Juniata Saturday. Jata had 13 kills and nine digs in the five-set contest against Wilkes and added six kills and five digs against Juniata. It is Jata’s fourth E8 weekly accolade of the season.
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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