General | 2/17/2025 12:45:35 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on February 17, 2025, for games played from February 10-February 16. It is the 24th Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2024-25 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s ice hockey, men’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s volleyball, and men’s wrestling.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Hagen Foley, Utica, Sr., F, Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy
Foley put together a stellar performance in the Pioneers only game this past week, a 100-80 win over Elmira. This was the first time this season that the Pioneers have scored in triple digits. Foley was good for 26 points on 69 percent shooting from the floor. Foley was also great from outside the arc, going 4-for-6. Foley also was able to spread the wealth, dishing out a team high five assists, along with two steals.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Christian Sage, Houghton, Gr., F, Owego, NY/Owego Free Academy
Sage averaged 24.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals over the weekend, while shooting 59 percent from the floor and 86 percent from the free throw line. In the first 15 minutes of Saturday's overtime contest against E8 regular season champion Brockport, Sage erupted for 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting on his way to a 32-point afternoon. Sage is fourth in the league in scoring, third in three-point percentage, third in free throw percentage, and fourth in assists.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Trevor Hofer, SUNY Geneseo, Fr., G, Penfield, NY/Penfield
Hofer averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 boards, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game this weekend for the Knights, scoring 15 against Houghton and going for 11 points and five boards against Alfred. He drained five shots from beyond the arc and shot 83 percent from the foul line.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Madalyn Kelly, Nazareth, Sr., G, Webster, NY/Webster Thomas
On Friday in a 75-56 win over Russell Sage, Kelly set a new Empire 8 and Nazareth record for 3-point field goals made in one game with 10, scoring a career high of 33 points total while going 10-for-13 from the arc and 11-for-15 from the field in 25 minutes of play. She added 12 points in just 17 minutes on Saturday in an 81-36 win over Hartwick, going 2-for-3 from the arc and 5-for-9 from the field.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Mackenzie Reigle, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., G, Batavia, NY/Batavia
Reigle led Geneseo to a 2-0 week after averaging 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, and breaking the program record for assists in a single season with 187, a record that stood since the 1998-99 season. In a 58-50 victory at Houghton, Reigle scored a season-high 22 points, and posted nine assists with six rebounds. Against Alfred she dropped 18 points, nine boards rebounds and six assists. On her second assist of the game against the Saxons, Reigle recorded her 187th career assist, breaking the program record set by P.J. McTigue in the 1998-99 season. She currently leads all of Division III in assists and assists per game.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Libby Benner, Alfred, Fr., G, Nunda, NY/Keshequa
Benner averaged 10.5 points per game during the Saxons’ final two home games of the season. In the game against SUNY Brockport Friday, she notched a season-high 12 points on a season-high 4-of-7 from the 3-point line. Benner scored all her points from the 3-point line again against SUNY Geneseo as she registered nine points on 3-of-8 from behind the arc. She also added a season-high three assists to her stat line.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sean Melso, SUNY Geneseo, So., D, Philadelphia, PA
Melso scored a goal, added two assists and was plus-5 in No. 4 SUNY Geneseo’s 7-3 win over No. 2 Utica on Saturday night. He assisted on Geneseo’s first and seventh goals of the evening and scored 6:18 into the second period to give the Knights a 5-0 lead.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – David Filak, SUNY Brockport, So., G, Northville, MI
Filak stopped all 33 shots he faced to lead SUNY Brockport to a 2-0 win over Nazareth on Saturday, as the Golden Eagles celebrated senior day. He made 14 saves in each of the last two periods to preserve the shutout.
MEN’S LACROSSE
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Owen Riley, Nazareth, Sr., A, Cortland, NY/Cortland
Riley scored three goals and added an assist in Nazareth’s season-opening 9-8 win over Springfield College in the snow at NLPA Field on Saturday. He scored a goal in each of the first three quarters and assisted on Alex Garrow’s goal that tied the game at 8-8 early in the fourth quarter. He fired five shots on goal in the win.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Tyler Manning, St. John Fisher, Jr., G, Glenville, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
Manning stopped a career-best 18 shots in his first collegiate start, leading the nationally ranked Cardinals to a 9-7 win over Haverford on Saturday. Manning was especially stingy in the second half, making 11 saves, while allowing just a pair of goals, as St. John Fisher rallied from a 5-4 halftime deficit.
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jacob Miller, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Sprints, Brockport, NY/Brockport
Miller had a stellar showing for the Knights at the Boston University Valentine Invite this past weekend. Miller ran a time of 48.02 in the 400 meters, good enough for second fastest in program history and top-15 in Division III so far this season. Miller went on to run the anchor in the 4x400-meter relay and put up a 46.83 split which gave the Knights a time of 3:13.75, second fastest in program history and fifth in Division III this season. It is Miller’s third E8 weekly accolade of the season.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Hunter Logan, Utica, Gr., Throws, Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer County Community College
Logan placed first in shot put at the DIII Elite Meet hosted by Nazareth, posting a winning throw of 16.29 meters (53’ 5.5”). He has placed in the top three in all indoor shot put events since last season and he currently ranks 13th in the nation. It is Logan’s third E8 weekly honor of the 2024-25 season.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Brynn Mooney, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Sprints, Lima, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima
Mooney broke the Empire 8 record in the 400-meter dash and was part of Geneseo’s 4 x 400-meter relay team that also shattered a league record at the David Hemery Invitational, hosted by Boston University over the weekend. She recorded a time of 55.32 seconds in the 400-meters and the 4 x 400-meter relay team of Mooney, Jill Ambler, Ava Bagley, and Janelle Eckl finished in 3:49.20. The 4 x 400-meter relay team now has the fourth best time in all of Division III to date this season, while Mooney is ranked fourth nationally in the 400-meters.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Isabel Morse, Nazareth, Jr., Pole Vault, Ithaca, NY/Charles O. Dickinson
Morse broke a program record on her way to winning the pole vault at the D3 Elite Meet, hosted by Nazareth University over the weekend. She cleared 3.73 meters (12’ 2.75”) which is not only the best pole vault height in the Empire 8 this season but puts her in a tie for 15th in Division III.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Peter Gottler, SUNY Poly, Jr., OH, Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
Gottler averaged 4.5 points per set and hit .283 in three matches for the Wildcats over the weekend. He began the weekend with nine kills, three digs and two blocks against Thiel and added season-high totals 17 kills and six service aces against Hilbert. Gottler played one set in a three-set win over Fisher College (MA) and hit .750 with three kills.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Coleton Welter, St. John Fisher, Fr., OH, Butler, PA/Butler Area
Welter slammed 10 kills and added five blocks for the No. 13 Cardinals in a three-set win over No. 20 MIT on Saturday to open United Volleyball Conference action. He has helped the Cardinals get off to a 12-1 record in 2025. It is his second E8 weekly honor.
MEN’S WRESTLING
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK – Torin Bishop, St. John Fisher, Jr., 149 lbs., Troy, NY/Tamarac
Bishop defeated Alex Smith by fall 3:56 into the match, giving the Cardinals six key points in a 21-20 dual victory over Brockport Friday night. The win helped Fisher start its comeback after it fell behind 9-0 early in the dual match.
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.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Hagen Foley, Utica, Sr., F, Albany, NY/Christian Brothers Academy
Foley put together a stellar performance in the Pioneers only game this past week, a 100-80 win over Elmira. This was the first time this season that the Pioneers have scored in triple digits. Foley was good for 26 points on 69 percent shooting from the floor. Foley was also great from outside the arc, going 4-for-6. Foley also was able to spread the wealth, dishing out a team high five assists, along with two steals.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Christian Sage, Houghton, Gr., F, Owego, NY/Owego Free Academy
Sage averaged 24.5 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals over the weekend, while shooting 59 percent from the floor and 86 percent from the free throw line. In the first 15 minutes of Saturday's overtime contest against E8 regular season champion Brockport, Sage erupted for 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting on his way to a 32-point afternoon. Sage is fourth in the league in scoring, third in three-point percentage, third in free throw percentage, and fourth in assists.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Trevor Hofer, SUNY Geneseo, Fr., G, Penfield, NY/Penfield
Hofer averaged 13.0 points, 3.0 boards, 1.5 assists and 1.0 steal per game this weekend for the Knights, scoring 15 against Houghton and going for 11 points and five boards against Alfred. He drained five shots from beyond the arc and shot 83 percent from the foul line.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Madalyn Kelly, Nazareth, Sr., G, Webster, NY/Webster Thomas
On Friday in a 75-56 win over Russell Sage, Kelly set a new Empire 8 and Nazareth record for 3-point field goals made in one game with 10, scoring a career high of 33 points total while going 10-for-13 from the arc and 11-for-15 from the field in 25 minutes of play. She added 12 points in just 17 minutes on Saturday in an 81-36 win over Hartwick, going 2-for-3 from the arc and 5-for-9 from the field.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Mackenzie Reigle, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., G, Batavia, NY/Batavia
Reigle led Geneseo to a 2-0 week after averaging 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, and breaking the program record for assists in a single season with 187, a record that stood since the 1998-99 season. In a 58-50 victory at Houghton, Reigle scored a season-high 22 points, and posted nine assists with six rebounds. Against Alfred she dropped 18 points, nine boards rebounds and six assists. On her second assist of the game against the Saxons, Reigle recorded her 187th career assist, breaking the program record set by P.J. McTigue in the 1998-99 season. She currently leads all of Division III in assists and assists per game.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Libby Benner, Alfred, Fr., G, Nunda, NY/Keshequa
Benner averaged 10.5 points per game during the Saxons’ final two home games of the season. In the game against SUNY Brockport Friday, she notched a season-high 12 points on a season-high 4-of-7 from the 3-point line. Benner scored all her points from the 3-point line again against SUNY Geneseo as she registered nine points on 3-of-8 from behind the arc. She also added a season-high three assists to her stat line.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sean Melso, SUNY Geneseo, So., D, Philadelphia, PA
Melso scored a goal, added two assists and was plus-5 in No. 4 SUNY Geneseo’s 7-3 win over No. 2 Utica on Saturday night. He assisted on Geneseo’s first and seventh goals of the evening and scored 6:18 into the second period to give the Knights a 5-0 lead.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – David Filak, SUNY Brockport, So., G, Northville, MI
Filak stopped all 33 shots he faced to lead SUNY Brockport to a 2-0 win over Nazareth on Saturday, as the Golden Eagles celebrated senior day. He made 14 saves in each of the last two periods to preserve the shutout.
MEN’S LACROSSE
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Owen Riley, Nazareth, Sr., A, Cortland, NY/Cortland
Riley scored three goals and added an assist in Nazareth’s season-opening 9-8 win over Springfield College in the snow at NLPA Field on Saturday. He scored a goal in each of the first three quarters and assisted on Alex Garrow’s goal that tied the game at 8-8 early in the fourth quarter. He fired five shots on goal in the win.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Tyler Manning, St. John Fisher, Jr., G, Glenville, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
Manning stopped a career-best 18 shots in his first collegiate start, leading the nationally ranked Cardinals to a 9-7 win over Haverford on Saturday. Manning was especially stingy in the second half, making 11 saves, while allowing just a pair of goals, as St. John Fisher rallied from a 5-4 halftime deficit.
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jacob Miller, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Sprints, Brockport, NY/Brockport
Miller had a stellar showing for the Knights at the Boston University Valentine Invite this past weekend. Miller ran a time of 48.02 in the 400 meters, good enough for second fastest in program history and top-15 in Division III so far this season. Miller went on to run the anchor in the 4x400-meter relay and put up a 46.83 split which gave the Knights a time of 3:13.75, second fastest in program history and fifth in Division III this season. It is Miller’s third E8 weekly accolade of the season.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Hunter Logan, Utica, Gr., Throws, Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer County Community College
Logan placed first in shot put at the DIII Elite Meet hosted by Nazareth, posting a winning throw of 16.29 meters (53’ 5.5”). He has placed in the top three in all indoor shot put events since last season and he currently ranks 13th in the nation. It is Logan’s third E8 weekly honor of the 2024-25 season.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Brynn Mooney, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Sprints, Lima, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima
Mooney broke the Empire 8 record in the 400-meter dash and was part of Geneseo’s 4 x 400-meter relay team that also shattered a league record at the David Hemery Invitational, hosted by Boston University over the weekend. She recorded a time of 55.32 seconds in the 400-meters and the 4 x 400-meter relay team of Mooney, Jill Ambler, Ava Bagley, and Janelle Eckl finished in 3:49.20. The 4 x 400-meter relay team now has the fourth best time in all of Division III to date this season, while Mooney is ranked fourth nationally in the 400-meters.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Isabel Morse, Nazareth, Jr., Pole Vault, Ithaca, NY/Charles O. Dickinson
Morse broke a program record on her way to winning the pole vault at the D3 Elite Meet, hosted by Nazareth University over the weekend. She cleared 3.73 meters (12’ 2.75”) which is not only the best pole vault height in the Empire 8 this season but puts her in a tie for 15th in Division III.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Peter Gottler, SUNY Poly, Jr., OH, Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute
Gottler averaged 4.5 points per set and hit .283 in three matches for the Wildcats over the weekend. He began the weekend with nine kills, three digs and two blocks against Thiel and added season-high totals 17 kills and six service aces against Hilbert. Gottler played one set in a three-set win over Fisher College (MA) and hit .750 with three kills.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Coleton Welter, St. John Fisher, Fr., OH, Butler, PA/Butler Area
Welter slammed 10 kills and added five blocks for the No. 13 Cardinals in a three-set win over No. 20 MIT on Saturday to open United Volleyball Conference action. He has helped the Cardinals get off to a 12-1 record in 2025. It is his second E8 weekly honor.
MEN’S WRESTLING
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK – Torin Bishop, St. John Fisher, Jr., 149 lbs., Troy, NY/Tamarac
Bishop defeated Alex Smith by fall 3:56 into the match, giving the Cardinals six key points in a 21-20 dual victory over Brockport Friday night. The win helped Fisher start its comeback after it fell behind 9-0 early in the dual match.
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.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
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