General | 1/26/2026 1:00:00 PM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on January 26, 2026, for games played from January 19-25, 2026. It is the 22nd Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2025-26 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’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, Sr., G, Elmsford, NY/Alexander Hamilton
Harris averaged 26.0 points on 51.3 percent shooting, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in a pair of E8 wins over Nazareth and St. John Fisher that propelled the Gators into a tie for first in the league standings. Harris tallied 35 points, the second-most ever in a game by an RSC player, in Friday's 85-78 win over Nazareth, shooting 13-of-23 from the floor with three steals. He followed that up with 17 points, five boards and four assists in an 85-70 win over St. John Fisher.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Robby Lucas, Hartwick, Fr., G, Clarks Summit, PA/Abington Heights
Lucas averaged 19.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game this weekend in two narrow losses against St. John Fisher and Nazareth. Lucas began the weekend with a career high 26 points to pair with three rebounds and two assists against the Cardinals, while shooting 10-of-17 from the floor. Lucas followed that up with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists against the conference leading Golden Flyers.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Tabitha DeVries, Houghton, Jr., F, White House Station, NJ/Hunterdon
DeVries led the Highlanders to a 1-1 week in Empire 8 action, averaging 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds on 50 percent shooting from the floor and from 3-point range. She opened play with 18 points and 15 rebounds in a loss to Brockport, before helping the Highlanders to a 77-53 win over defending league champion Geneseo. She tallied 21 points, three assists and two blocks against the Knights while hitting 9-of-15 from the field.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Stephanie Jean-Baptiste, SUNY Brockport, Sr., G, Jersey City, NJ/John Jay
Across a 2-0 weekend for the Golden Eagles, Jean-Baptiste led the way for Brockport in both the scoring and rebounding departments, averaging 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, and a steal per game, while shooting 52 percent from the floor. On Friday, Jean-Baptiste led the Golden Eagles with 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds for her first double-double effort of the season in a win over Houghton. Les than 24 hours later, she added 21 points on 9-of-16 FG shooting from the floor with five rebounds, a block, and a steal. It is her third E8 weekly honor of the season.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Madison Marusic, Utica, Fr., G, Herkimer, NY/Herkimer
Marusic averaged 11.5 points, while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor and 62.5 percent from 3-point range in a 1-1 week for the Pioneers. She opened the week with a strong performance in Utica’s 62-53 home win over Keuka, scoring 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, providing an immediate scoring boost and played an important role in Utica’s offensive success. It is Marusic’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Aidan Hughes, Utica, Jr., F, Mississauga, Ontario
Hughes racked up three goals and an assist over the two-game sweep over Albertus Magnus on Jan. 23-24. Hughes scored one goal and procured one assist in Friday’s 10-4 win before stamping the sweep with the final two goals in Saturday’s 5-1 win. His contributions helped the Pioneers remain unbeaten in UCHC play, as they have won seven straight games overall.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Dax Easter, SUNY Brockport, So., G, Brockville, Ontario
Easter stopped 32-of-33 shots faced in a 5-1 for SUNY Brockport on the road at Manhattanville on Saturday afternoon. He stopped all 22 shots he faced over the second and third periods as Brockport scored five unanswered goals to salvage a split and move into fourth place in the league standings.
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Amy Laskowski, Nazareth, So., F, Clarendon Hills, IL
Laskowski led the No. 6 Golden Flyers with five points on three goals and two assists in two wins over Chatham last weekend. On Friday, she netted a goal and added an assist in 6-0 win over Chatham and followed that up less than 24 hours later with two goals and an assist in 7-1 victory over the Cougars Saturday. She leads the league with 19 goals and 31 points in 17 games this season. It is Laskowski’s fourth Empire 8 weekly honor of 2025-26.
GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Brynn Bacak, St. John Fisher, Fr., G, Williamsville, NY
Bacak enjoyed an outstanding weekend as the Cardinals earned their first two UCHC wins over Manhattanville at the Rochester Ice Center. Bacak made 24 saves in a 3-1 win on Friday night and 26 in a 1-0 victory on Saturday morning as part of her third collegiate shutout. Overall, Bacak stopped 50-of-51 shots over the weekend, resulting in a 0.50 goals against average and a .980 save percentage. It is her third Empire 8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Brian Pabisch, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Freestyle, Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills East
Pabisch led SUNY Geneseo to a 200-152 win over RIT over the weekend. He took first place in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 46.40 and annexed the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 20.88. He was also on four winning relay teams, which included the 200- and 400-yard medley and the 200- and 400- yard freestyle relays.
DIVER OF THE WEEK – Greg Meder, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Diver, Plainview, NY/Plainview
Meder continued his impressive campaign at RIT this weekend, placing first in the 3-meter dive with a score of 612.65. He went on to place second in the 1-meter dive with a score of 527.30. His 11-dive score in the 3-meter event is the best in all of Division III to date this season. It is his sixth E8 weekly honor of the season.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING
SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Ellen Burroughs, Nazareth, Jr., Freestyle, Aurora, NY/Southern Cayuga
Burroughs was a three-time winner against Penn State Behrend, earning victories in the 200-meter Freestyle (2:17.6), 50-meter freestyle (28.62), and the 400-meter freestyle (4:46.34). The 200-meter medley relay team of Burroughs, Peyton Buell, Emily LeFrois-Heath and Alexis Eisler made history, becoming the fastest women's relay team in Nazareth University History for short course meters, recording a time of 2:03.85.
DIVER OF THE WEEK – Lydia Benjamin, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Diver, Elmira, NY/Elmira
Benjamin helped SUNY Geneseo defeat RIT this past weekend by placing first in the 3-meter dive with a score of 477.65. Benjamin also scored a 427.00 in the 1-meter dive to record a third-place finish. Her 11-dive score in the 3-meter event is the third best in Division III to date this season. It is Benjamin’s third E8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
CO-TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Ryan Hagan, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Middle Distance, Liverpool, NY/Liverpool
Hagan highlighted the day of competition at the RIT Invite for Geneseo on Friday, setting a school and conference record in the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:27.34. His time broke an 18-year-old E8 mark, held by Michael Hardbarger of RIT (2:28.74).
CO-TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Tanner Warren, Utica, Jr., Middle Distance, Mohawk, NY/Central Valley Academy
Warren and the Pioneers traveled to Ithaca College to compete in its Six-Way Invitational. He continued his strong start to the season by helping Utica win two events. He began his day in the 400-meter dash, besting the 50-second mark and finishing after 49.63. Shortly after, Warren served as the anchor in the 4x200m relay, helping propel Utica to a 1:30:39, which ranks second fastest in program history. Both finish times bested the AARTFC qualifying standard. He moved into 25th nationally in the 400-meters.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Brandon Kaplan, St. John Fisher, Sr., Throws, Grahamsville, NY/Tri-Valley Central
Kaplan excelled at the RIT Invite for the Cardinals on Friday, setting the school record in the weight throw with a first-place throw of 18.82 meters (61’9’). That mark also ranks sixth in all of Division III to-date this season.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Victoria Brewster, Houghton, Jr., Sprints, Montour Falls, NY/Odessa-Montour
Brewster won both the 60-meters in 7.72 seconds and the 200-meters in 26.16 seconds at the Highlander Invitational on Saturday. Both results are the top times in the Empire 8 this season. She is currently 10th nationally in the 60-meters this season.
FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jillian Ambler, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Jumps/Sprints, Fairport, NY/Fairport
Ambler won two events for Geneseo at the RIT Invitational on Friday. Ambler won the long jump with an Empire 8 record distance of 5.94 meters (19’6”). She also competed on the winning 4x400 relay team who took first at 4:00.43. Her leap of 5.94 meters broke a 16-year-old league record, held by Marcia McCord of Ithaca since 2010 and is now the second-best mark in Division III to date in 2025-26. It is Ambler’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ryan Murphy, Nazareth, So., MB, Penfield, NY/Penfield
Murphy totaled 20 kills and hit .405 in a 3-0 weekend for the Golden Flyers at the Nazareth Invitational. He added eight blocks, seven digs, two service aces and an assist. Murphy averaged 2.9 kills per set and committed just five errors on 37 swings. He led the Golden Flyers with 10 kills at .421 with five blocks in the team's three-set sweep of Nichols Saturday. In addition, Murphy added a team-best nine kills at .353 with three blocks in Nazareth's home opening victory over Penn State Behrend.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Jordan Prusky, SUNY Poly, Fr., MB, Cohoes, NY/Shaker
Prusky totaled 17 kills this weekend against nationally ranked opponents St. John Fisher and Baldwin Wallace. He recorded a season-best 10 kills and six digs against Penn State-Behrend. Prusky added 10 digs throughout the weekend.
MEN’S WRESTLING
WRESTLER OF THE WEEK – Tyler Rossini, SUNY Brockport, Sr., 157 lbs., Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
Rossini delivered a powerhouse performance at 157 lbs. to take first place at SUNYAC Championships, scoring a team high 24 points. Rossini pinned his way through the first two rounds and the quarterfinals. After a 12-5 decision in the semifinals, he won the championship match by fall over Colton Havens of Cortland State just 2:38 into the bout to secure the title. It is Rossini’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.