General | 2/3/2025 12:46:13 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on February 3, 2025, for games played from January 27-February 2. It is the 22nd 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 and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s indoor track and field, men’s volleyball, and men’s wrestling.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Brandon Harris, Russell Sage, Jr., G, Elmsford, NY/Alexander Hamilton
Harris averaged 25.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game, while shooting 50.8 percent (31-for-61) from the floor for the Gators in three games during the week. On Tuesday, Harris scored 21 points against Hartwick. On Friday, Harris poured in a career-best 32 points on 12-of-21 shooting from the floor and 6-of-6 shooting from the free throw line at Alfred. He concluded the week with 23 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists in a 71-69 win at Houghton.
CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Trevor Hofer, SUNY Geneseo, Fr., G, Penfield, NY/Penfield
Hofer averaged 20.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game, while draining 50 percent from behind the arc (14-for-28) and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the foul line in a 2-1 week for the Knights. On Saturday, Hofer exploded for a career-best 32 point-performance in a win over Keuka, while hitting seven 3-pointers and shooting 7-for-7 from the foul line.
CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Merritt Holly, Nazareth, Fr., F, Le Roy, NY/Le Roy
Holly continued his tremendous season, averaging 18.7 points and 7.3 rebounds in a 2-1 week, while shooting an incredible 79.8 percent from the floor (22-for-28). On Tuesday, Holly scored 21 points on 6-of-7 shooting from the floor and added nine free throw makes in an 82-80 win at St. John Fisher on Tuesday. On Friday at SUNY Poly, Holly had a double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds. Holly's 21 points came from 9-of-10 shooting from the field and 3-of-3 from the line. Holly added 14 points and seven rebounds at Utica. It is Holly’s fourth E8 weekly honor of 2024-25.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Grace Rittenhouse, Alfred, Sr., G, Dansville, NY/Dansville
Rittenhouse reached the 1,000-point milestone over the weekend as she averaged 20.0 points per game in a 2-1 week for the Saxons. She scored 22 points in a Tuesday win over Houghton, 25 points in the overtime loss to Russell Sage and 13 points in a Saturday win over Hartwick that witnessed her scoring her 1,000th career point. In total, Rittenhouse shot 58.8 percent from 3-point range and 48.9 percent from the floor. She added 15 rebounds, five steals, four assists and one blocked shot on the week.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sidney Tomasso, St. John Fisher, Sr., G, Waverly, NY/Waverly
Tomasso averaged 19.0 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.7 steals in three wins, as the Cardinals moved to 11-0 in Empire 8 play this season and clinched a postseason berth. In a victory over rival Nazareth on Tuesday, Tomasso the Cardinals with 23 points to go along with nine rebounds. Tomasso tied her season high with four 3-pointers made and equaled her career high with five assists in the victory. On Friday, Tomasso led the Cardinals with 25 points and 13 rebounds as part of her seventh double-double of the season in a win at Utica. It is Tomasso’s second E8 weekly accolade of the season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Peyton Maneri, SUNY Brockport, Fr., G, Auburn, NY/Auburn
Maneri averaged 10.0 points, 3.3 assists and 3.0 steals per game, as SUNY Brockport won all three contests during the week to improve to 11-0 in Empire 8 play. On Friday, Maneri had 12 points, four steals, three assists and three rebounds in a win over Keuka and added 15 points, four assists and four steals in a victory over Elmira. It is Maneri’s fourth E8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
Jakob Breault, Utica, Gr., F, Acton Vale, Quebec
Breault extended Utica’s winning streak to seven games, completing the season sweep over SUNY Brockport with a four-point weekend on the strength of three goals and an assist. Breault also won 31 of his 45 faceoff opportunities and was plus-4 on the weekend. He scored twice and added an assist in Friday’s 7-1 win and scored Utica’s first goal in a 2-1 victory on Saturday night. It is Breault’s second straight E8 weekly honor and third overall of the season.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Cole Hudson, SUNY Brockport, Jr., G, Tonawanda, NY
Hudson stopped 85-of-88 shots in just under 96 minutes of action against No. 2 Utica, recording a .966 save percentage and 1.89 goals against average. On Friday, Hudson came on in relief and stopped 36-of-37 shots over the final 37 minutes of play against the Pioneers on home ice. Picking up the start on Saturday at Utica, Hudson would make 49 saves on 51 shots in a 2-1 loss. He made at least 17 saves in four of his five periods played.
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Hassan Abdelwahed, Hartwick, So., Freestyle/Breaststroke, New Hartford, NY/New Hartford
Abdelwahed ended his regular season with an exclamation point, taking three events in the Skidmore Sprint Invite on Saturday. Hassan opened the afternoon with a win in the 500-yard freestyle, posting a time of 5:01.38, then blazing through the 50-yard freestyle in 22.08 seconds for his second win. Abdelwahed capped off his day by taking the 100-yard breaststroke, clocking in at 59.55 seconds.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Alex Sotek, SUNY Geneseo, So., Freestyle/Backstroke, New Lebanon, NY/New Lebanon
Sotek garnered first place honors in the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:39.02), the 50-yard freestyle (24.44), 100-yard backstroke (1:00.03) and was part of the 200-year medley relay team that placed second in an identical time to other Geneseo team competing (1:51.41), as the Knights rolled to a dual meet win over Ithaca over the weekend.
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Tanner Warren, Utica, So., Sprints, Mohawk, NY/Central Valley Academy
Warren posted a program record time of 48.38 seconds in the 400-meters at the Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic over the weekend. His adjusted NCAA time of 49.16 seconds is currently ranked 20th best in Division III to date this season.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Brandon Kaplan, St. John Fisher, Jr., Throws, Grahamsville, NY/Tri-Valley
Kaplan set a personal and school record on Saturday in the weight throw at the Ithaca Bomber Invite, placing first in the event, recording a throw of 17.76 meters (58’ 3.25”). He has won the weight throw event in each of Fisher's last three meets. His top throw of 17.76 meters is ranked 19th in Division III to date.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Hunter Logan, Utica, Gr., Throws, Fort Plain, NY/Herkimer College
Logan enjoyed one of the best performances of his collegiate career, placing third overall in shot put at Boston University John Thomas Terrier Classic with a throw of 16.32 meters (53’ 6.5”). He was the only Division III athlete to place in the final in a loaded field with Division I athletes. Logan has placed in the top three in the past three meets, taking first in two of them and has the 10th best distance in the shot put in Division III this season.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jill Ambler, SUNY Geneseo, So., Hurdles/Heptathlon, Fairport, NY/Fairport
Ambler was a dual winner in both the 60-meter hurdles and long jump at the RIT Thursday Invitational on Jan. 30 from the Gordon Field House. She recorded a winning time of 8.93 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles and took the long jump with a leap of 5.61 meters (18’5”). She moved into 18th nationally in the 60-meter hurdles and 17th in the long jump after her standout performances at RIT.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Zoe Connor, SUNY Geneseo, Gr., Throws, Scotia, NY/Scotia Glenville
Connor broke her own program record set five days prior in the weight throw at the RIT Thursday Invitational on Jan. 30 from the Gordon Field House. Connor finished first with a distance of 17.81 meters (58’ 5.25”), which also moved her up to 10th in the country in the weight throw. Connor then added to her impressive day by taking first in the shot put at 12.96 meters (42’ 6.25”), which also broke her own program record in the event and placed her 24th in Division III. It is Connor’s second straight and third overall E8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jordan Peiser, Elmira, Sr., RS, Great Neck, NY/Great Neck
Peiser hit .526 with 44 kills and 11 digs, averaging 4.40 kills and 5.10 points, as Elmira won all three of its matches on the week to move to 7-0 in 2025. On Friday, Peiser slammed 23 kills and added five digs in a five-set win over SUNY Poly. On Saturday, Peiser hit .563 with 10 kills in a three-set win over Grove City College and hit .733 with 11 kills in a sweep over Curry. It is Peiser’s second E8 weekly honor of 2025.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Paten Buckwalter, Elmira, Fr., MB, Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty
Buckwalter hit .359 with 19 kills, six blocks and five digs, as Elmira won all three of its matches on the week to move to 7-0 in 2025. Buckwalter had eight kills and four blocks in a five-set win over SUNY Poly and hit .600 with seven kills and two service aces in a three-set win over Grove City. It is Buckwalter’s third E8 weekly accolade of the season.
MEN’S WRESTLING
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK – Trevor Bishop, St. John Fisher, Fr., 141 lbs., Brunswick, NY/Tamarac
Bishop earned a decisive 17-2 technical fall win over Jude Bellantoni of No. 20 ranked RIT on Friday evening, which tied the match at 17-17 before RIT would eventually win the dual match by a score of 22-17.
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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