General | 3/31/2025 12:47:37 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on March 31, 2025, for games played from March 24-March 30. It is the 30th 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 – Steve Sclafani, Utica, Gr., SS, North Massapequa, NY/Farmingdale
Sclafani hit .467 (7-for-15) with five RBI in a 3-1 week for the Pioneers, starting off his four-game slate with a walk-off single against SUNY Poly on Monday, which capped off a four-RBI day. He had two hits and scored a run in a 5-4 win over Elmira Saturday and scored a run and drove in a run in a win Saturday.
CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Joe Degroot, Russell Sage, Gr., P, Clay, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse
Degroot permitted just one hit across six shutout innings in Saturday's 7-0 win at Houghton. He struck out three batters in improving to 2-1 on the season.
CO-PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Keegan Ferris, Keuka, Sr., P, Elbridge, NY/Jordan Elbridge
Ferris earned a complete game win for the Wolves at St. John Fisher on Friday, allowing just six hits and one run against the Cardinals, as Keuka earned a 4-1 win. Ferris struck out three for his second complete-game victory of the season, tying for the Empire 8 lead. In total, opponents are hitting just .225 against him this season. It is Ferris’ second E8 weekly honor of the season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Luke Landis, SUNY Poly, Fr., INF, Moravia, NY/Moravia
Landis hit .500 with a 1.288 OPS, as the Wildcats scored 47 runs in a three-game sweep of SUNY Poly over the weekend. On Saturday, Landis reached base three times with a walk and two hit by pitches in a win. In game one Sunday, Landis was 3-for-4 with two walks and five runs scored in a 20-3 victory. Landis completed the weekend by going 2-for-5 with two runs scored, double and four RBI in a wild 15-12 win. It is his second E8 honor of 2025.
SOFTBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kaijah Alexander, Nazareth, Fr., IF/P, Long Beach, CA/Woodrow Wilson
Alexander hit .583 (7-for-12) with a home run, three runs scored and nine RBI, while recording a 1.584 OPS during the four-game week. She had four hits and six RBI in a doubleheader split against RIT Thursday. On Friday, Alexander homered and drove in three runs in a 5-3 win over E8 foe Alfred. On the mound, Alexander threw five innings against RIT, where she gave up zero earned runs and recorded two strikeouts.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Mari Spitz, St. John Fisher, Sr., C, Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima
Spitz hit .545 (6-for-11) with three home runs and eight RBI in a 3-1 week. In a doubleheader sweep of Houghton, Spitz drove in six runs and hit three two-run home runs. She tied her career high in RBI (4) and recorded her first collegiate multi-home run game in the second ballgame. Against Ithaca on Friday, Spitz added key insurance runs with a two-run double that put the Cardinals ahead 6-1 in the seventh. Spitz recorded a 2.000 OPS for the week.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK – Ainsley Evanetski, St. John Fisher, Sr., P, Rochester, NY/Brighton
Evanetski went 2-0 with a 0.58 earned run average and 0.58 WHIP to go along with 17 strikeouts in just 12 innings of work for the Cardinals. On Thursday, Evanetski tied her career high with 11 strikeouts in a five-inning one hit shutout over Houghton. After allowing a solo home run in the second inning against Ithaca on Friday, Evanetski allowed just two more hits the rest of the way in a 6-1 victory. Evanetski, who earned credit for her third win of the season, struck out seven and did not walk any batters while pitching all seven innings.
MEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Nick Tellone, St. John Fisher, Sr., Niskayuna, NY/Niskayuna
Tellone led the Cardinals in the two-day McDaniel Spring Invite, as he finished third overall after shooting a 148 (+4) over the two rounds. He shot a 77 (+5) on Saturday and stood in a tie for 10th place before moving up seven spots on Sunday with an impressive round, during which he carded a 71 and finished one under.
WOMEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sarah Burgess, St. John Fisher, So., Syracuse, NY/Jamesville-Dewitt
Burgess led the Cardinals with a ninth-place finish over the weekend in the McDaniel College Spring Invite at the Bridges Golf Club. The Cardinals finished in third place in the two-day tournament, which included six teams. They improved by 17 strokes to move up from fourth on the team leaderboard on Sunday after carding a 387 on Saturday. Burgess carded an 89 on Saturday and an 85 on Sunday. It is her fourth E8 honor of 2024-25.
MEN’S LACROSSE
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Luke Taylor, SUNY Poly, Sr., M, Endicott, NY/Union-Endicott
Taylor led the Wildcats to a 2-0 week, recording 11 points on seven goals and four assists to go along with five ground balls. He began the week with three goals, an assist and three ground balls in a 15-11 win over SUNY New Paltz. Taylor began league play in a big way, tallying seven points on four goals and three assists in an 18-11 victory at Keuka.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Kaiden Johnson, Hartwick, So., G, Wakefield, MA/Wakefield Memorial
Johnson made 11 saves as Hartwick welcomed the Golden Eagles of SUNY Brockport to Empire 8 with an 11-9 win on Saturday. Johnson did not allow a goal in the third quarter despite facing 14 shots, earning a .550 save percentage on the afternoon.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Brooke Bonetti, Keuka, Sr., M, Seneca Falls, NY/Mynderse Academy
Bonetti enjoyed a record-setting week for the Wolves with 17 goals, as Keuka went 2-0 and earned their first Empire 8 Conference win since the 2021 season. Bonetti's week opened with a six-goal performance, including what ended up being the game-winning goal in Keuka's 11-10 victory over Alfred State. Bonetti rewrote the Keuka College record books on Saturday as she scored a program-record 11 goals in Keuka's 19-9 conference victory at SUNY. On the season, Bonetti leads the Empire 8 and ranks sixth nationally with 5.33 goals per game.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Amelia Booth, Alfred, Sr., A/M, Staatsburg, NY/FDR
Booth tallied 16 points on 13 goals and three assists to go along with 15 ground balls, leading the Saxons to wins over Elmira College and Allegheny College. Booth registered a game-high eight points from six goals and two assists against Elmira. She also tallied 13 ground balls and a caused turnover. The following day against the Gators, Booth finished the game with seven goals along with one assist. She additionally picked up six draw controls, a pair of ground balls and a caused turnover.
GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Kaylee Gadol, St. John Fisher, So., G, Otisville, NY/Minisink Valley
Gadol recorded a 3.33 goals against average and .615 save percentage in a 2-0 week. She anchored the No. 18 Cardinals' defense in an 8-5 victory over No. 8 William Smith on Wednesday at Growney Stadium, facing 20 shots in the contest and recording seven saves, tied for her second most in a game this season. Gadol made a handful of key saves late in regulation, as Fisher held William Smith to its lowest goal total in just under a calendar year. She also played a scoreless half in the Cardinals win over Russell Sage Saturday. It is her second E8 weekly honor.
MEN’S TENNIS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Gabe Wettig, Norwich, Fr., Ballston Spa, NY/Ballston Spa
Wettig played a key role in Norwich’s dominant week, going a perfect 4-0 across singles and doubles play. Against VTSU Johnson, he partnered with Keagan Bakke at No. 2 doubles to earn an 8-0 sweep, before securing a commanding 6-1, 6-1 victory at No. 1 singles. Wettig continued his strong form in the Cadets’ conference opener against SUNY Delhi, delivering a decisive 6-2, 6-2 win at No. 4 singles while teaming up with Bakke for a hard-fought 8-5 win over SUNY Delhi's No. 2 doubles tandem to lead Norwich to its first E8 win.
DOUBLES TEAM OF THE WEEK – Gabriel McPhail, Thomas, Sr., Windham, ME/Windham
Seb Soto, Thomas, Fr., Mexico City, Mexico/Universidad del Valle de Mexico
McPhail and Soto went undefeated this week at No. 1 doubles for Thomas, winning a pair of matches in dominant fashion. As a duo they won 8-2 against the University of Southern Maine and won 8-1 when they faced off against Lesley’s top doubles team to kick off E8 play on Saturday.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo, So., Middle Distance, Liverpool, NY/Liverpool
Hagan kicked off the outdoor season for the Knights with a first-place finish and AARTFC qualifying time in the 1500-meters at the Bill Q Invitational at 3:57.72. Hagan’s time is currently ranked 41st in Division III to date this outdoor season.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Spencer Borghardt, Utica, Jr., Throws, Melville, NY/St. Anthony’s Borghardt captured first place out of 17 throwers in hammer throw at the Utica Almost Spring Invite on Sunday. His toss of 52.71 meters (172’11”) is now the fourth-best all-time in program history and is ranked 22nd in Division III to date this season.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Ann Brennan, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Distance, Honeoye Falls, NY/Honeoye Falls-Lima
Brennan finished first for Geneseo in the 5,000-meters at the Bill Q Invitational on Saturday, clocking in a time of 17:32.70, the 23rd fastest time so far in Division III this season.
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Alexa Belanger, Houghton, Fr., Jumps, Ballston Spa, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa
Belanger produced the top high jump in not only the Empire 8 but NCAA Division III to date in recording a first-place finish at the Highlander Invitational on Saturday. She finished the event by clearing a height of 1.67 meters (5’5.75”).
CO-FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Riley King, Utica, So., Throws, Oswego, NY/Oswego
King placed first overall and recorded a school record in hammer throw at the Utica Almost Spring Invite on Sunday with a toss of 47.57 meters (156’1”). Her throw is currently ranked in the top-30 nationally to date this season.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Andrew Bodensteiner, Nazareth, Sr., MB, Rochester, NY/Spencerport
Bodensteiner hit a career-best .813 with 13 kills in just 16 attempts to go along with three blocks in the Golden Flyers thrilling five-set win over No. 12 St. John Fisher on Friday night.
CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Paten Buckwalter, Elmira, Fr., MB, Colorado Springs, CO/Doherty
Buckwalter hit .613 with eight kills in 13 attempts for the Soaring Eagles in a dominant, three-set sweep over MIT on Friday night. It is his fifth E8 weekly honor of 2025.
CO-ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Ryan Murphy, Nazareth, Fr., MB, Penfield, NY/Penfield
Murphy hit .588 with 11 kills, five blocks and four digs in the Golden Flyers thrilling five-set win over No. 12 St. John Fisher on Friday night. It is his third 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.
EMPIRE 8 SOCIAL MEDIA
YouTube – Facebook – Twitter – Instagram