General | 1/5/2026 1:00:00 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on January 5, 2026, for games played from December 28, 2025 – January 4, 2026. It is the 19th Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2025-26 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s basketball and men’s and women’s ice hockey.
MEN’S BASKETBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jordan Cain, Utica, So., G, Syracuse, NY/West Genesee
Cain led the Pioneers with a dominant performance during Utica’s lone contest of the week, pouring in a career-high 32 points to pace the offense in the team’s final non-conference matchup at home, an 82-77 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Wednesday. Cain was highly efficient from the floor, shooting 12-for-19 (63 percent) overall and knocking down five 3-pointers on eight attempts, while adding three free throws. In addition to his scoring outburst, Cain contributed across the stat sheet with six rebounds, two assists, and two steals in 36 minutes of action.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Pharell Aybar, SUNY Brockport, Fr., G, Washington Heights, NY/A. Phillip Randolph
Aybar was a key factor in Brockport’s 2-0 week, providing steady playmaking and efficient scoring. He averaged 8.5 points, 3.0 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game across the two contests. His week was highlighted by a highly efficient 12-point, four-rebound performance against La Roche on Saturday, where he shot over 60 percent from the floor. It is Aybar’s second straight E8 weekly honor of the season.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Amarionah Dixon, Elmira, Sr., G, Elmira, NY/Elmira
Dixon was the leading scorer in Elmira's 73-48 victory over Keystone. She recorded 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and one block. She was 8-for-11 in the paint (73 percent) and 2-for-2 from the free-throw line in just 22 efficient minutes of play.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Vanessa Hall, Utica, Jr., G, Independence, NY/Whitesville Central
Hall powered the Pioneers with a dominant all-around performance, posting 21 points, nine rebounds, and three steals in Utica’s 57-49 win over William Smith on Saturday. She was an efficient 9-for-15 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range. In addition to her scoring efficiency, Hall controlled the glass with nine rebounds and was a constant presence on the defensive end, recording three steals while committing zero turnovers in nearly 36 minutes of action. It is Hall’s second E8 weekly honor of 2025-26.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Natalie Mai, St. John Fisher, Fr., G, Pittsford, NY/Pittsford Mendon
Mai led the Cardinals with 12 points on 5-of-10 shooting, including 2-of-4 from 3-point range against The College of New Jersey in the Smith Holiday Tournament on Tuesday. She added seven points while shooting 3-of-8 overall and 1-of-4 from three in a win over Husson on Wednesday. It is Mai’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Sal Cerrato, Utica, Fr., D, St. Louis, MO
Cerrato showed off his stellar playmaking this past weekend as the Pioneers started off 2026 with a pair of non-conference victories. He shored up the blue line in stunning fashion, helping hold both Neumann and SUNY Canton to just a single goal while also piling up five assists and was plus-4 over the two-game set. He racked up three assists and was plus-3 in a 4-1 win over Neumann on Saturday and added two more helpers against SUNY Canton on Sunday. He also recorded three blocks, getting it done on both ends for the No. 14 Pioneers.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Paul Dalessio, Nazareth, Fr., G, Burlington, MA
Dalessio stopped 66-of-71 shots in leading Nazareth to the NSB Holiday Tournament Championship, hosted by Norwich University to ring in 2026. On Friday, he made 33 saves in a 3-2 overtime win over the hosts and duplicated that effort with 33 more saves in a 4-3 overtime win over SUNY Cortland in the championship game on Saturday afternoon.
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Anna Lugge, Elmira, Jr., F, Freeburg, IL
Lugge led Elmira to a key 5-4 overtime win over No. 12 SUNY Plattsburgh in the semifinal of the East/West Classic hosted by Norwich University on Sunday. Lugge recorded four points on two goals and two assists in the win, including scoring the game-tying goal in the third period and assisting on Iliana Smith’s overtime winner. Lugge, who was plus-3 in the win, also recorded six shots on goal, one block, and was 7-of-14 on face-offs. It is Lugge’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Mia Gonsalves, Nazareth, Fr., G, Boston, MA
Gonsalves helped lead No. 5 Nazareth to a 2-1 win over Salve Regina University on Sunday, stopping 17-of-18 shots to improve to 12-0-0 this season. She made six first period shots, four more in the second period and seven in the third period to help protect the lead as the No. 5 Golden Flyers remained unblemished in 2025-26. It is Gonsalves’ third E8 weekly honor of the season.