General | 12/15/2025 12:55:55 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on December 15, 2025, for games played from December 8 – December 14. It is the 17th Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2025-26 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s ice hockey, and men’s wrestling.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Lou Bellamy, Houghton, Jr., F, Tampa, FL/Johnson Academy
Bellamy led the Highlanders to two wins on the week, averaging 22.5 points and 11.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.0 block per game, while shooting 50 percent from the floor and 94.7 percent (18-of-19) from the foul line. He flirted with a triple double in a 91-80 win over Grove City on Wednesday, recording 23 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists, while adding a block and a steal. He closed out the week with 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor, nine boards, two assists, two steals and a block in just 23 minutes of play in a 92-61 win over Fredonia.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Tyson Clark, Houghton, Fr., G, New Hampton, NY/West Nottingham Academy
Clark was instrumental in two Houghton wins on the week, averaging 17 points per game on 77 percent shooting (10-of-13) shooting from the field, including 5-for-6 from 3-point range, while shooting 90 percent from the foul line. He tallied 22 points in a 91-80 win over Grove City, going 9-for-9 from the free throw line and 5-for-6 from the field. He closed the week with 12 points, three assists and three steals in a win over SUNY Fredonia. It is Clark’s third E8 weekly accolade of the season.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Molly Benetti, Nazareth, Sr., F, Syracuse, NY/West Genesee
Benetti was named Most Valuable Player of the Sandy DeWolf McCormack Holiday Tournament over the weekend, leading the host Golden Flyers to the championship while averaging 17.0 points, 7.5 rebounds, 5.0 blocks and 3.5 assists in the two wins, while shooting just under 50 percent from the floor. On Saturday, she recorded 16 points, nine rebounds, six blocks and three assists in a 66-45 win over Westminster. Benetti followed that up with 18 points, six rebounds, four blocks and four assists in 78-65 win over Piedmont in the title game Sunday.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Brooke Burd, Keuka, Jr., C, Canisteo, NY/Canisteo-Greenwood
Burd set a new career-high in scoring while recording her sixth double-double of the season in Keuka’s 63-54 victory over SUNY Morrisville on Saturday. Burd scored 22 points for the Wolves and collected 17 boards and four blocks. Burd is averaging a double-double on the season with 10.9 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. She leads the E8 in double-doubles as well as ranking in the top five in numerous categories.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Keely Mullins, Houghton, Fr., G, Livingston, TN/White County
Mullins enjoyed a tremendous week in two Highlander wins, averaging 19 points, 10 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.0 steals per contest. She exploded for 30 points on 13-of-23 shooting from the floor, 12 rebounds, six assists and three steals in an 80-74 win over SUNY Fredonia, hitting the game-tying layup at the regulation buzzer and converting a key 3-pointer in overtime. She followed that performance with eight points and eight rebounds in a 78-51 win over Buffalo State. It is her third weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Antoine Lucier, Nazareth, So., F, Candiac, Quebec
Lucier scored Nazareth’s second goal in Friday’s 2-2 tie at No. 5 Hamilton. He tallied with 4:15 left in the second to give the Golden Flyers a 2-1 lead. Nazareth finished the opening semester with a 7-4-1 record.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Mason Joseph, Nazareth, So., G, Cumberland, RI
Joseph was sensational in Nazareth’s 2-2 tie at No. 5 Hamilton, stopping 54-of-56 shots through regulation and overtime in addition to another three saves on four shootout attempts, as Nazareth won the shootout exhibition, 2-1. Joseph made 13 first period saves, 17 in both the second and third periods and another seven stops in the 3-on-3 overtime period, as Hamilton out-shot Nazareth, 56-23. It is Joseph’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ella Mannila, Nazareth, Jr., F, Nipigon, Ontario
Mannila scored a goal and added an assist to lead Nazareth to a 3-1 road win over No. 15 Hamilton College on Tuesday evening, as the Golden Flyers ended the semester break 11-0-0. Mannila opened the scoring just over 12 minutes into the game and assisted on Lindsay Moses’ goal 1:58 into the third period that gave Nazareth a 3-1 lead.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Mia Gonsalves, Nazareth, Fr., G, Boston, MA
Gonsalves was excellent in Nazareth’s 3-1 win at No. 5 Hamilton on Tuesday, stopping 21-of-22 shots to improve to 11-0-0 this season. She made six first period shots, five more in the second period and 10 in the third period to help protect the lead as the No. 5 Golden Flyers remained unblemished in 2025-26. It is Gonsalves’ second E8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S WRESTLING
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK – Matt Bonato, Utica, Jr., 157 lbs., Syracuse, NY/Liverpool
Bonato was integral to a massive Pioneer victory in the team's first home meet of the 2025-26 season, securing a big individual win to help the team defeat Keystone by a 55-0 final. In his bout at 157 lbs., Bonato dominated, defeating his opponent via technical fall by a final score of 16-0. He accomplished the feat in just under a minute and a half, taking down his opponent in the opening moments and then notching four consecutive near falls while never relinquishing control as he sped to the 16-0 decision. Bonato improved to 6-5 with the win, grabbing his third technical fall of the season.