General | 9/28/2026 11:50:07 AM
Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on September 28, 2026, for games played from September 21 - September 27. It is the fourth Empire 8 weekly honors release of the 2026-27 season. Sports featured include men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s golf and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s tennis, and women’s volleyball.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Collin Brown, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Rochester, NY/McQuaid
Brown led the Knights to a first-place finish at the RPI Fairground Showdown by placing second overall with a time of 23:58.0 in the 8,000-meter race. Geneseo placed all five scoring runners in the top seven, posting 24 points to beat out RPI in second place with 41. This is Brown’s second consecutive Runner of the Week honor.
WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY
RUNNER OF THE WEEK – Shelby Boise, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder
Boise led Geneseo to a first-place finish at the RPI Fairground Showdown, placing second overall in the 6,000-meter race with a time of 21:10.5. Boise led a slew of Geneseo runners who all placed inside the top nine, posting 24 points for the Knights while Vassar took second with 66.
FIELD HOCKEY
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Hope Angioletti, Hartwick, Sr., M, Hopewell Junction, NY/John Jay
Angioletti continued her tremendous start to the 2026 season, racking up four goals and four assists for 12 points across two league games. She started the week with three goals in a win over Keuka on Wednesday, her first career hat trick, and added an assist. Angioletti followed that up with a goal and three assists in Hartwick’s 4-1 victory over Brockport on Saturday. She now has eight goals and eight assists for 24 points through just seven games in 2026. This is her second consecutive E8 Offensive Player of the Week honor.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Catherine Newkirk, Russell Sage, So., M, Marathon, NY/Marathon
Newkirk totaled five goals and 10 points across two games, netting both game-winners in a pair of Russell Sage wins. Against Manhattanville, she scored three goals on seven shots on goal. In the Gators lone Empire 8 matchup against Keuka on Saturday, she scored two goals on five shots on goal. This is Newkirk’s second E8 Offensive Player of the Week honor.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Katelyn Klotz, Hartwick, Sr., D, South Glens Falls, NY/South Glens Falls
Klotz was a contributor on both ends for Hartwick in their 2-0 week, as she helped lead the team E8 victories with her play on offense and defense. In Hartwick’s 8-0 victory over Keuka on Wednesday, she led a stout defensive effort while also adding two assists. She followed that up with another strong defensive showing, anchoring a unit that held Brockport to just four shots all game, while also adding the team's third goal in a 4-1 win on Saturday.
FOOTBALL
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Jacques LaPrarie, SUNY Cortland, Sr., WR, Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West
LaPrarie tied a SUNY Cortland single-game record with three touchdown receptions in the Red Dragons 62-6 Empire 8 win over visiting SUNY Morrisville Saturday. His three scoring catches came in a span of nine game-time minutes between the second and third quarters - he caught an 11-yard touchdown pass with 1:17 left in the first half, followed by a 39-yard TD catch with 18 seconds remaining before halftime, and he added a 12-yard touchdown reception with 8:22 left in the third quarter. LaPrarie finished with four catches for 91 yards.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Ryan Whitney, St. John Fisher, Sr., QB, Geneseo, NY/Geneseo
Whitney recorded his seventh career game and fourth in a row with at least one passing and rushing touchdown in a decisive road win over Alfred on Saturday. He finished 20-of-31 (64.5 percent) passing with 263 yards and two scores and rushed for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 16 carries, as the Cardinals jumped out to a 31-0 halftime lead. Whitney became just the second St. John Fisher quarterback to log rushing and passing touchdowns in four straight games, joining Ryan Kramer, who did so in 2011. Whitney has rushed for at least 60 yards in seven career games, including in five of the Cardinals' last seven games since last November. This is his second E8 Offensive Player of the Week honor in 2026.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Austyn Gollnitz., SUNY Brockport, So., LB, Hornell, NY/Hornell
Gollnitz made arguably the biggest play of the game for Brockport in its win at Hartwick on Saturday. With the game scoreless late in the first half in less-than-ideal weather conditions, Gollnitz forced a fumble deep in Hartwick territory, which was recovered by teammate Ari Gefell in the end zone for a defensive touchdown which opened the scoring. Gollnitz also finished with seven total tackles, including three tackles for loss. He has now forced three turnovers in the past two weeks for the Brockport defense.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Nico Duarte, Utica, Sr., K/P, Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter’s Prep
Duarte continued his perfect start to the season during the team’s 58-13 win over Empire 8 foe Alfred State Saturday. He finished 3-for-3 on field goals, hitting from distances of 38, 31, and 20 yards in the game. He was also perfect on seven point-after attempts. Duarte improved to 11-for-11 on field goals, which is the most made field goals in Division III without a miss this season. Duarte capped off his excellent outing by booting two punts for an average of 46.5 yards, also pinning the opposing Pioneers inside their own 20-yard line on both occasions as he helped to set up some big defensive stops. This is his second E8 Special Teams Player of the Week honor.
MEN’S GOLF
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Luke Finlan, Russell Sage, Jr., Albany, NY/LaSalle Institute
Finlan was the individual medalist at the Keuka College Fall Invitational at Lakeside Country Club on Thursday. Finlan finished in first place with a plus-four score of 76, winning by one stroke. His performance helped the Gators take home the win as a team.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Tyce Helmick, SUNY Oswego, Sr., Ontario, OR/Ontario
Helmick took home first place in a field of 60 players this week at the Oswego State Fall Invite at Oswego Country Club over the weekend. He shot even par both days and came back from a two-stroke deficit on day two for the win. Tyce also collected two birdies on the back nine of day two in clutch fashion.
WOMEN’S GOLF
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Emily Mayer, Nazareth, So., Salzburg, Austria/International GED
Mayer took home the individual title at the Keuka Fall Invitational at Lakeside Country Club on Thursday. She carded a 79 (plus-seven) highlighted by three birdies. She led the Golden Flyers to a second consecutive team title with a plus-48. This is her third consecutive E8 Player of the Week honor.
MEN’S SOCCER
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Adam Grover, St. John Fisher, Gr., M, Warsaw, NY/Canisius
Grover tallied four points as St. John Fisher earned Empire 8 victories over SUNY Poly and Hartwick last week. He scored in a 3-0 home win over Poly on Wednesday and netted the game-winning tally in a 2-1 road win over Hartwick on Saturday.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Joey Weaver, Nazareth, Sr., F, Spencerport, NY/Spencerport
Weaver scored two game-winning goals in two Empire 8 wins over Alfred and Russell Sage last week. He logged the Golden Flyers lone goal in their 1-0 victory over Alfred. He registered his second goal of the week in their 2-0 shutout of Russell Sage. Weaver took 10 shots across two contests this week with three of those shots on goal.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Bryan Tirado, Nazareth, So., GK, Oceanside, NY/Oceanside
Tirado registered two shutout victories over Empire 8 opponents Alfred and Russell Sage. He logged seven total saves, one against Alfred and six versus Russell Sage. Tirado collected his fourth and fifth wins of the season in goal.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Savanna Biehler, Nazareth, Fr., F, Fairport, NY/Fairport
Biehler registered five goals in two Empire 8 wins over Alfred and Russell Sage. She scored a goal in a 2-0 shutout against Alfred on Wednesday. She tied an Empire 8 single-game record with four goals in Nazareth’s 5-0 win over Russell Sage on Saturday, with two coming in the first 11 minutes of action and three total in the first half.
CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Olivia Kalil, St. John Fisher, Jr., F, Sauquoit, NY/Sauquoit Valley
Kalil tallied 10 points on five goals to lead the St. John Fisher women's soccer team to a pair of Empire 8 victories last week. She scored her first collegiate hat-trick, hitting the back of the net three times in a 5-1 road win over SUNY Poly on Wednesday and added two more tallies, including the eventual game-winner in a 4-1 home win over Hartwick on Saturday.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Cora Kraft, Utica, Sr., D, Poughquag, NY/Arlington
The Pioneers secured two clean sheets in conference play this week, with Kraft playing a vital role in anchoring the backline, playing all 180 minutes versus Hartwick and Alfred. Kraft's leadership and composure under pressure give her side a significant advantage over opposing attacks. Kraft also registered shots on goal in both fixtures.
WOMEN’S TENNIS
PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Samantha Lantzy, Hartwick, Sr., Valatie, NY/Ichabod Crane
Lantzy was 2-0 at first singles last week, picking up two victories in conference action. She defeated her Brockport opponent 6-0, 6-2, on Wednesday in their 5-2 team win and then picked up a win over her Geneseo opponent on Friday, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 for the team's lone point in a loss to the Knights. This is her second E8 Player of the Week honor of 2026.
DOUBLES TEAM OF THE WEEK – Rachel Molloy, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Erieville, NY/Cazenovia
DOUBLES TEAM OF THE WEEK – Samantha Rava, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Fairport, NY/Fairport
Molloy and Rava played a key role in the Knights ability to remain unbeaten on the season, helping pick up the doubles point in matches against Houghton and Hartwick. Molloy and Rava topped Houghton by a score of 6-2, then defeated the Hawks 6-1 as the Knights improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in Empire 8 action. This is their second E8 Doubles Team of the Week honor in 2026.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Emma Curry, Russell Sage, So., L, Goodyear, AZ/Estrella Foothills
Curry tallied 50 digs (5.29 digs per-set), 23 services aces, and 16 assists in a 3-1 week for the Gators. Curry served up 13 aces, the most by any player in a five-set NCAA match, regardless of division, since Oct. 30, 2021, in Wednesday's win at SUNY Cobleskill.
CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Lydia Fraser, St. John Fisher, Jr., OH, Plymouth, MI/Fr. Gabriel Richard
Fraser led the St. John Fisher offense at the Johns Hopkins Tournament, recording 41 kills, 50.5 points, seven service aces, 3.42 kills per set, and 4.21 points per set across three matches. On Friday against Scranton, Fraser recorded 19 kills while hitting .472 and totaled 22 points. In Saturday's five-set win over Stevenson, she added 19 kills and 23 points. With seven service aces this week, Fraser moved into the top 10 in Fisher's career record book with 149 career aces. Fraser was also named to the All-Tournament Team. This is her second E8 Player of the Week honor of 2026.
ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Dyllan Thomas, SUNY Geneseo, Fr., MB, Saratoga Springs, NY/Saratoga Springs
Thomas helped lead Geneseo to a sweep over Fredonia on Tuesday, hitting an impressive .857 out of the middle. Thomas tallied six kills on seven swings as the Knights improved to 6-6 heading into Empire 8 action.