General | 3/24/2025 12:41:06 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on March 24, 2025, for games played from March 17-March 23. It is the 29th Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2024-25 season. Sports featured include baseball, softball, men’s and women’s lacrosse, men’s tennis, and men’s volleyball.
BASEBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kanta Ueno, Houghton, Jr., 2B, Nagasaki, Japan/Omura
Ueno hit .800 (8-for-10) while adding three runs and nine RBI in three league games for the Highlanders. He added two doubles and two stolen bases. He added 10 assists and four putouts on 15 chances in the field. Ueno went 5-for-5 with a double and four RBI in Sunday's game two win over Alfred. He was also 2-for-3 with a double, three runs scored and three RBI in Friday’s win over the Saxons.
CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Zach Eldred, SUNY Brockport, Gr., P/OF, East Greenbush, NY/Columbia
Moving to 3-0 on the mound following a 9-1 win over Keuka, Eldred impressed with a career-best performance on Saturday. Eldred would post career highs in innings pitched (7) and strikeouts (13), allowing just one run and five hits in a dominant start for the Golden Eagles. He also rapped eight hits and drove in eight runs in a 4-0 week for the Golden Eagles, who are now 14-1 on the season. It is Eldred’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Aiden Talcott, Houghton, Jr., P, Farmington, NM/Farmington
Talcott pitched an eight-inning three hitter in his only appearance on the week, an 8-1 win over Alfred on Sunday to improve his season record to 4-0. He struck out four batters and walked three, while allowing just one run. Talcott lowered his team-leading earned run average to 1.86 over 29 innings pitched on the season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Jordan Perry, St. John Fisher, Fr., OF, Malone, NY/Franklin Academy
Perry hit .667 with a 1.934 OPS, as the Cardinals scored 45 runs in a three-game sweep of Elmira over the weekend. On Saturday, Perry led the Cardinals offensive outburst in a doubleheader sweep, driving in 11 runs and crossing the plate six times himself, while going 9-for-10 at the plate. He had four doubles, all in the second game of the doubleheader, a triple, and a home run. In the first game of the day, Perry drilled his first collegiate grand slam in the first inning to give the Cardinals a 4-0 lead. Perry had five hits in five at-bats and drove in a career-high six runs in the ballgame. He had the four doubles in drove in five more runs in the game two win.
SOFTBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sarah McArthur, Houghton, Fr., SS, Woodstock, NY/Woodstock Academy
McArthur helped Houghton to a 3-1 week by hitting .438 at the plate, while scoring nine runs. Six of her seven hits went for extra bases, including four doubles and two triples over the four games. She added three RBI and a stolen base during the week. In her final game of the week, a 13-7 win over SUNY Delhi, McArthur went 3-for-4 with a single, double, triple, walk, stolen base and three runs scored.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Kailtyn Schmitz, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., P, Eden, NY/Eden
Schmitz did it all for Geneseo during the week, going 2-0 on the rubber with a seven-inning shutout of Coe College, and a five inning win over Milwaukee School of Engineering with just two earned runs allowed. She struck out 10 batters over the two games while just allowing four walks. She is now 4-0 on the season with just a 1.44 ERA. At the plate, Schmitz extended her hitting streak to 10 games, tallying a hit in all eight contests played during the week. She went 13-for-28 at the plate for a .464 batting average, with seven RBIs and 10 runs scored. It is Schmitz’s second straight E8 weekly honor.
MEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Lincoln Crosby, Nazareth, So., Chevy Chase, MD/DeMatha Catholic
Crosby was the top scorer for the Nazareth men's golf team for the Ruckus Tournament at National Golf Club, shooting a two-day total of 157 (+13) to earn a tie for 30th place.
WOMEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kayla Ringler, Nazareth, Gr., Loretta, PA/Penn Cambria
Ringler launched an 83 on Sunday, an improvement of four strokes from Saturday to finish with a two-day total of 170 (+26) for 15th place at The Ruckus tournament at National Golf Club. She helped lead the Golden Flyers to a fifth-place team finish. It is Ringler’s third weekly honor of the 2024-25 season.
MEN’S LACROSSE
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jimmy Atkinson, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., A, Northport, NY/Northport
Atkinson led the Knights to a 2-0 week, recording nine points over two games. In Geneseo's first Empire 8 win for the program, he recorded three goals and two assists in a 12-5 victory over Hartwick. In Geneseo's 14-12 win over Kean, he picked up four goals. It is Atkinson’s second straight E8 weekly honor.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Jaxson Tucker, Keuka, Fr., G, Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy
Tucker allowed just four goals while making 19 saves over the last week as he led the Wolves to a pair of victories. He started the week with just three goals allowed while making nine saves over three quarters in a win against Alfred St. Tucker then allowed just one goal, coming on the man-up, and made 10 saves going the distance in a win at Hilbert. Overall, he posted an .826 save percentage in the two games. For the season, Tucker is 25th nationally in goals against average.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Maddie Brown, SUNY Geneseo, Gr., A, Rochester, NY/Rush-Henrietta
Brown led the Knights offense this week with 11 points on five goals and six assists with a pair of draw controls over two games. She tallied seven points on three goals and four assists in Geneseo's first Empire 8 win over Hartwick and added four points with two goals and two assists in a 14-13 loss at Shenandoah.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Megan Rinker, Alfred, Jr., M, Le Roy, NY/Le Roy
Rinker tallied seven goals and two assists to go along with six ground balls, five caused turnovers and five draw controls in a 2-0 week for Alfred. In the program’s first-ever matchup against Alfred State College, Rinker tallied a goal, game-winning assist and added four ground balls. As part of the program’s first victory against E8 foe Russell Sage, Rinker scored a game-high six goals, including the game-winner, to go with one assist. She also added four draw controls, four caused turnovers, and a pair of ground balls in the win.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Lauren Vitello, Keuka, So., G, Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder
Vitello pitched a shutout for Keuka on Tuesday in their win over Elmira College, making seven saves to hold the Soaring Eagles off the board. On the season, she ranks second in the Empire 8 with a 6.50 goals against average and leads the Conference with a .618 save percentage. Vitello's save percentage ranks fourth in Division III to date this season.
MEN’S TENNIS
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Keagan Bakke, Norwich, Sr., Gun Barrell, TX/Mabank
Bakke put together a strong all-around performance, leading the Cadets with two singles wins and a doubles victory in two tightly contested matches. In Norwich's 8-1 win over Vermont State Castleton, Bakke cruised past Miki Almirall, 6-1, 6-1 at first singles, while also teaming up with Gabe Wettig to secure an 8-5 win at second doubles. Against Thomas College, Bakke fought through adversity at the top of the lineup, rallying from a set down to defeat Gabriel McPhail at No. 1 singles 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. His comeback effort gave Norwich a temporary 4-3 lead, before the Cadets ultimately fell in a tight 5-4 decision. It is Bakke’s second straight E8 weekly accolade.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Max Funiciello, Nazareth, Jr., Baldwinsville, NY/CW Baker
Funiciello won three of four singles matches and two doubles contests for the Golden Flyers on their Spring trip to Hilton Head, SC. Against Stevenson University, Funiciello won at second singles by a score of 6-2, 7-5 and emerged victorious at first doubles with Griffin Bond, 6-1. He also earned a 6-0, 6-1 second singles win versus Ripon and 7-5 doubles win. Funicello wrapped up his week with a three-set singles win over Ian Rayse of The College of Wooster, 6-3, 2-6, 10-6.
DOUBLES TEAM OF THE WEEK – Dominic Clifford, Thomas, Fr., Smithfield, ME/ Skowhegan Area
Camden Herrick, Thomas, Fr., Skowhegan, ME/Skowhegan Area
Clifford and Herrick won a pair of key matches at second doubles for Thomas. Against Bridgewater State they earned an 8-3 win, and against conference opponent Norwich later in the week the duo earned an 8-2 victory in a non-conference match.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Khamani Hunter Sr., Alfred, So., Sprints, Poughkeepsie, NY/FDR
Hunter began the outdoor season on a strong note as he registered two first-place finishes at the Redhawk Invitational hosted by Roberts Wesleyan University on Wednesday. He won the 100-meter dash on a time of 11.14 seconds. Hunter also registered a personal best time of 22.51 to earn first in the 200-meter dash. He ran the second leg of the 4x400-meter relay team as he teamed with Neil Peters, Jayden Noel and Steve Hoskins III to combine for a third-place time of 3:39.79.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jason Crocker, Alfred, Sr., Throws, Oreland, PA/Springfield Township
Crocker started his senior outdoor season by putting up two marks close to his personal records as he won the shot put and finished second in the discus throw on Wednesday at Roberts Wesleyan. He recorded a 13.77-meter (45’-2.25”) mark in the shot put to win. Crocker closed out the early season Redhawk Invite with a toss of 40.22 meters (131’-11”) in the discus to take second place.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Anne Spila, Alfred, Sr., Sprints, Mechanicsburg, PA/Trinity
Spila earned her first two top-three performances of the outdoor season during the Redhawk Invitational hosted by Roberts Wesleyan University on Wednesday. She placed second at 16.79 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles. Spila earned third in the 100-meter dash in a time of 13.31 seconds. She closed out her evening as the anchor leg of the 4x400-meter relay, joining Zoe Rainville, Annabelle Townsend, and Natalya Ryckman to clock a time of 4:29.13.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Abigail Nuzzo, Houghton, Jr., Throws/Jumps, Bradford, PA/Bradford
Nuzzo finished second in the javelin throw with a toss of 29.46 meters (96’ 8”) at the season-opening Redhawk Invitational at Roberts Wesleyan University on Wednesday.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sonepith Keoviengsamay, St. John Fisher, So., OH, Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy
Keoviengsamay slammed a career-high 15 kills and hit .417 against No. 1 NYU on Saturday to go along with six digs. In a five-set win over No. 17 New Paltz on Sunday, he had 14 kills while hitting .478 to go with a season-high three blocks and seven more digs. Overall, he hit .447 on the week, averaging 3.5 points and 1.4 digs per set.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Ryan Murphy, Nazareth, Fr., MB, Penfield, NY/Penfield
Murphy played in two matches for the Golden Flyers this weekend, recording a .269 attack percentage on 11 kills, while also throwing down six blocks, tallying six digs, and adding one ace and one assist. In the exciting five-set win over New Paltz Saturday, Murphy had eight kills, five digs, three blocks, one assist, and one ace. Against No. 1 NYU on Sunday, Murphy had three kills, three blocks, and a dig. It is his second E8 weekly honor of 2025.
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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