General | 9/23/2024 12:34:19 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on September 23, 2024, for games played from September 16-September 22. It is the fourth Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2024-25 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Pierce Young, SUNY Geneseo, So., Arkport, NY/Arkport
Young finished ninth overall out of 290 runners and has the third best finish among Division III runners at the University of Rochester Yellowjacket Invitational, held at Genesee Valley Park on Saturday. He recorded a time of 26:13.4 over the 8,000-meter course, averaging a 5:16.5-mile time for the event. Young, who was the top E8 finisher by nearly 19 seconds in the event, led Geneseo to a fourth-place team and second-best Division III team finish at the event.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Penelope Greene, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Sag Harbor, NY/Pierson
Greene was the individual race winner, defeating 230 runners at the University of Rochester Yellowjacket Invitational, held at Genesee Valley Park on Saturday. She recorded an impressive time of 21:49.1 over the 6,000-meter course, averaging a 5:51.2-mile time, while finishing 20 seconds faster than the runner-up. Greene helped lead Geneseo, who is ranked in the top-five nationally to a decisive team victory, as the Knights recorded a team score of 32 points.
FIELD HOCKEY
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ashley Tricarico, Hartwick, Sr., F, Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay
Tricarico scored a pair of fourth quarter goals 1:31 apart to help Hartwick rally from a 1-0 deficit and defeat Houghton University, 2-1, in the Empire 8 opener for both institutions on Saturday. She scored the tying goal with 10:02 remaining in regulation and tallied the game-winning tally on a penalty stroke with 8:31 remaining.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Lilly Spitz, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., GK, Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland
Spitz helped lead the nationally ranked Knights to a pair of wins over Empire 8 foes Nazareth and Utica, allowing just one goal in the two games. She earned her second shutout of the season on Wednesday in a 7-0 victory over Nazareth and helped hold Utica to a goal in Saturday’s 4-1 win.
FOOTBALL
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jaylen Brantley, St. John Fisher, Sr., WR, Syracuse, NY/Fowler
Brantley caught six passes for a St. John Fisher single-game program record 249 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Cardinals to a 42-40 victory over Keystone College at Growney Stadium on Saturday as part of Alumni weekend. With St. John Fisher trailing 13-0 early in the second quarter, Brantley scored on a 91-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Whitney. Brantley would give the Cardinals the lead for good with 4:55 remaining in the third quarter, this time on an 81-yard touchdown reception.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Eli Douglas, Utica, Sr., DB, Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Forks
Douglas recorded nine tackles (three solo), a pair of pass breakups and interception returned 25 yards for a touchdown in Utica's 42-17 win over visiting Lycoming College Saturday. Douglas was tasked with covering Lycoming’s top deep threat, allowing just five receptions on 17 targets. With 2:05 remaining in the third quarter, Douglas made the key pick-six interception, helping Utica extend its lead to 28-10 and help put the game away.
CO-DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kyle Haettich, SUNY Brockport, Sr., DB, Buffalo, NY/West Seneca
Haettich, a 2024 D3football.com Preseason All-American, Haettich had two key interceptions in the final three minutes, as SUNY Brockport held on to defeat Wilkes University, 31-17 as part of Homecoming Weekend Saturday. With Brockport leading 24-17 and Wilkes driving to try and tie the game, Haettich intercepted a pass and returned it 93 yards for a touchdown to put Brockport up 31-17 with 2:48 remaining. His second interception came with less than 10 seconds on the clock, to end Wilkes’ final possession. Haettich also had five total tackles (three solo), including a tackle for a loss.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jaden AlfanoStJohn, SUNY Cortland, Sr., WR/KR, Westhampton, NY/Westhampton Beach
AlfanoStJohn returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown to give SUNY Cortland its first score and cut an early deficit to 14-7 in the second-ranked Red Dragons' eventual 40-38 win at 11th-ranked Susquehanna. He's only the third player in school history, and the first since 2003, to return a kickoff 100 yards. AlfanoStJohn finished with five kickoff returns for 193 yards.
MEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Vincent Falgiatano, Nazareth, Jr., Syracuse, NY/Bishop Grimes
Falgiatano won the individual title by three strokes with a score of 75 (plus-3) at the Keuka College Fall Invitational held at Lakeside Country Club on Tuesday. He recorded three birdies on the day and helped Nazareth win the team title by four strokes over Russell Sage College.
WOMEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ava Malvaso, Nazareth, Jr., Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Sutherland
Malvaso won the individual title by one stroke over teammate Kayla Ringler at the Keuka College Fall Invitational held at Lakeside Country Club on Tuesday. Malvaso shot an 83, while helping lead Nazareth to co-Champion honors with the SUNY Geneseo in team scoring.
MEN’S SOCCER
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Drew Decker, Nazareth, Sr., F, Clifton Park, NY/Christian Brothers Academy
Decker tallied four points on a goal and two assists in a 1-0-1 week for the Golden Flyers. He assisted on the game-tying goal late in regulation against SUNY Fredonia on Tuesday. Decker added another assist and scored a goal on Saturday in the 5-0 win over Hartwick to open Empire 8 play. Decker’s assist on Saturday was the 32nd of his collegiate career, which ties the Empire 8 record for most assists in a career.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Peter Tinaj, SUNY Brockport, Jr., F/M, Yorktown Heights, NY/Yorktown
Tinaj scored a pair of goals, including the eventual game-winner in the 27th minute and key insurance goal in the 79th minute to lead SUNY Brockport to its first Empire 8 victory, 3-1 at Keuka College on Saturday. All six of his shot attempts were on target in the win.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Maximillian Bertmann, Russell Sage, Fr., GK, South Burlington, VT/South Burlington
Bertmann made three saves, all in the second half, to help Russell Sage preserve its lead in a 1-0 victory over Empire 8 foe Alfred University on Saturday. The Gators are now 2-0 in league play, as Bertmann earned his second straight E8 weekly honor.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Piper Andrews, Elmira, Jr., F, Fergus Falls, MN/Fergus Falls
Andrews scored four goals and helped lead the Soaring Eagles a pair of wins including an Empire 8 victory over SUNY Poly on Saturday. Andrews tallied a hat-trick in Elmira’s 5-1 win over Alfred State in just 58 minutes of play, the first in the program since the 2018 season. Andrews scored Elmira’s final goal in the 86th minute in a 3-0 win over SUNY Poly on Saturday afternoon.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kiani Barnard-Pratt, Alfred, Jr., GK, Westford, MA/Westford Academy
Barnard-Pratt made 14 saves to lead Alfred, as the Saxons snapped a 23-game losing streak to Ithaca College as Tuesday’s contest ended in a 0-0 tie. The Saxons still have not relinquished a goal to an opposing soccer player in six matches this season. On Tuesday, Ithaca fired off 31 shots with 14 on goal, all 14 being stopped by Barnard-Pratt.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Phoebe Olson, Hartwick, Jr., Jamestown, North Dakota/Jamestown
Olson made her 2024 debut over the weekend, and picked up right where she left off last season with a pair of singles and pair of doubles wins. On Saturday, she helped the Hawks sweep defending Empire 8 Champion Alfred, 9-0 with a straight set 6-4, 6-1 win over All-E8 selection Elizabeth Madsen. She followed that up with another dominant win by scores of 6-1, 6-2 in Hartwick's 5-2 non-conference win over Drew on Sunday. Olson also went undefeated at first doubles with partner Alexandra Krasinska, as Hartwick is now 3-0 in E8 play this season.
DOUBLES TEAM OF THE WEEK – Marian Aguirre, Russell Sage, Fr., Plano, TX/Plano
DOUBLES TEAM OF THE WEEK – Olivia Monaco, Russell Sage, Fr., Campbell Hall, NY/Washingtonville
Aguirre and Monaco moved to 6-0 at the second doubles position on the season, as the Gators defeated UMass Dartmouth and Houghton University. On Wednesday, the duo earned an 8-4 win against UMass Dartmouth and on Saturday, rolled to an 8-0 victory over Victoria Martinez and Zoe Zachery of Houghton. Russell Sage is now 3-0 in league play this season, while Aguirre earned her third E8 weekly accolade (two-time singles selection).
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kaylene Noble, St. John Fisher, So., OH, Fayetteville, NY/Fayetteville-Manlius
Noble averaged 4.00 kills, 3.33 digs and 4.25 points per set in three matches over the weekend. She hit 333 with 17 kills and a pair of service aces in a three-set win over Pitt.-Bradford Friday. On Saturday, Noble had 13 kills and 14 digs in a four-set match against Capital and added 19 digs and 18 kills in a five-set thriller against Buffalo State.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Staecia Silofau, Hartwick, Sr., RS/OH, Kapolei, Hawaii/Maryknoll
Silofau helped lead the Hawks three wins during the week over SUNY Delhi, Alfred State and Marywood. Silofau had 14 digs and eight kills against Delhi, 16 kills, eight digs and two blocks against Alfred State and hit .364 with five kills and nine digs against Marywood.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Lydia Fraser, St. John Fisher, Fr., OH, Plymouth, MI/Father Gabriel Richard Catholic
Fraser averaged 3.50 kills, 2.67 digs and 3.67 points per set over the weekend in three matches. On Friday, Fraser had 10 digs and nine kills, while hitting .348 in a win over Pitt. Bradford. She added 16 kills and nine digs against Capital and slammed 17 kills to go along with 13 digs in a five-set win over host Buffalo State. It is Fraser’s second E8 weekly honor 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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