General | 12/8/2025 1:00:00 PM

Below are the Empire 8 Players of the Week, released on December 8, 2025, for games played from December 1 – December 7. It is the 15th 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, and men’s wrestling.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kelton Brown, Elmira, So., G, Olive Branch, MS/Olive Branch

Brown helped lead the Soaring Eagles to a 2-1 record on the week, including wins over SUNY ESF and Penn College. Brown, who leads the Soaring Eagles statistically in steals, assists, rebounds, and points, averaged 23.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 2.7 steals per game. Against Penn College, he recorded 28 points and five rebounds and tallied three steals and one block. On Saturday against St. Elizabeth, Brown recorded a double-double with 25 points and 13 rebounds. He also tallied four steals and one block for his second E8 weekly honor.

CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Anthony Rose, SUNY Poly, Sr., G, Bronx, NY/Fannie Lou Hammer Freedom

Stellar play from Rose lifted the Wildcats to a 3-0 week with wins over St. Lawrence, Hamilton and Worcester State. He averaged 22.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, while shooting 55 percent (27-of-49) from the field. On Tuesday, Rose compiled 20 points and seven rebounds in a 64-51 victory over St. Lawrence. Just two days later, Rose exploded for for 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting, including 5-for-5 from 3-point range with five boards and three assists in a 78-72 victory over Hamilton. He added 21 points and four assists in a 78-59 win over Worcester State.

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Ajani Flemming, SUNY Brockport, Fr., G, Brooklyn, NY/Eagle Academy

Flemming scored a season-high 16 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor, draining 4-of-5 from 3-point range to go along with three assists and a pair of rebounds in Brockport’s 84-65 win at RIT on Tuesday evening.

 

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Layla Acosta, Russell Sage, Sr., G, Haines City, FL/Haines City

Acosta became just the tenth Russell Sage College women’s basketball player to surpass 1,000 career points in Monday’s 71-68 win vs. SUNY Cobleskill. She tallied 26 points on Monday to reach the milestone and help the Gators defeat the defending North Atlantic Conference Champions and improve to 5-2 overall in 2025-26. It is Acosta’s second E8 weekly honor of the season.

 

CO-PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Katie MacLachlan, Nazareth, Sr., G, Marcellus, NY/Marcellus

MacLachlan shot 7-of-15 from the floor, including 5-of-11 from 3-point land en route to 23 points, four rebounds, two assists, and three steals in a win over Alfred on Saturday to open Empire 8 play.

 

ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Keely Mullins, Houghton, Fr., G, Livingston, TN/White County

Mullins scored 17 points and pulled down six rebounds to go along with a pair of assists in just 12 minutes of action in Houghton’s 103-66 win over Pitt-Bradford on Thursday. It is her second weekly honor of the season.

 

MEN’S ICE HOCKEY

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Alex Dameski, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., F, Oakville, Ontario

Dameski recorded  a six-point weekend with two goals and four assists and was plus-4, as the nationally-ranked Knights wrapped up the semester with a weekend sweep against Empire 8 foe St. John Fisher, winning by scores of 8-2 on Friday and 4-0 on Saturday. He tallied a goal and three assists and was plus-2 in Friday’s win, as the Knights erased a 2-0 deficit. On Saturday, Dameski scored twice, including the game-winner to open the scoring in a 4-0 win.

 

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Jacob Torgner, SUNY Geneseo, Fr., G, Mjolby, Sweden

Torgner stopped all 22 shots he faced in Saturday’s 4-0 shutout win over St. John Fisher. He made five first period saves, seven more in the second period, and competed the shutout with 10 third period stops, as the Knights moved to 5-1-0 in UCHC and 3-1-0 in E8 competition.

 

WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY

PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Brooke Judkiewicz, Nazareth, So., F, East Concord, NY/Springville Griffith

Judkiewicz enjoyed a banner weekend with six points on two goals and four assist and was plus-4, as the Golden Flyers improved to 10-0-0 with wins over Trinity and Wesleyan of the NESCAC over the weekend. She had a goal and two assists in a 3-0 win over Trinity on Friday and added a goal and two assists in a 6-4 win over Wesleyan on Saturday. 

 

GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK – Brynn Bacak, St. John Fisher, Fr., G, Williamsville, NY/Nichols School

Bacak stopped 69 of 74 shots as the Cardinals wrapped up their opening semester with a weekend split against NESCAC institutions Wesleyan and Trinity. On Friday, she made 34 saves on 35 shots, as the Cardinals defeated Wesleyan, 2-1. She made 35 saves on Saturday against Trinity.

 

MEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Andrew Ayala, Alfred, Fr., Distance/Individual Medley, Mexico City, Mexico/Prepatoria No. 5

Ayala had a record-breaking weekend at the 14th Annual Bomber Invitational hosted by Ithaca College over the weekend. He broke two records in total, both of them have stood on the AU record boards since the 80’s. Ayala began with breaking the 500-yard freestyle record, winning the event with a time of 4:34.00, breaking the previous mark of 4:38.03 held by four-time All-American and Alfred University Hall of Fame member, John Jewell ’85, set in 1984. He then competed in the 1,650-yard freestyle and while on-pace to win the event, once he reached the 1,000-yard mark, he combined mark at the time of his touch, he broke the school record of 9:45.27, set by Jeffery Benton ’89 in his senior year. Ayala had time of 9:43.28 after 1,000-yards, en route to a thrilling mile win. His 500-yard freestyle and 1,650-yard freestyle victories were accompanied by his first-place finish in the 400-yard individual medley as he clocked a time of 4:04.94 to break his own school record time of 4:08.54.

 

DIVER OF THE WEEK – Greg Meder, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Diver, Plainview, NY/Plainview

Meder tallied the top score in both the 1-meter and 3-meter dives this past weekend at the Don Richards Diving Invitational, hosted by RIT, scoring a 557.05 and 587.75 respectively. It is Meder’s fourth E8 weekly honor of the season.

WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING

SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Liv Richeda, Alfred, Jr., Distance/Breaststroke, Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell

Richeda hit back-to-back personal best marks during the 14th Annual Bomber Invitational hosted by Ithaca College over the span of three days. During Saturday’s preliminary round in the morning session, Richeda posted the fifth-best time in the 200-yard breaststroke with a personal best mark of 2:33.42. She finished sixth in the evening finals with a time of 2:36.24. A day earlier, Richeda posted a personal best time of 5:13.73 during the prelims of the 400-yard individual medley. She then broke that again with a time of 5:09.84 in the finals. Richeda competed in a total of nine events with one more top-10 finish, swimming the anchor leg of the 800-yard freestyle relay, joining Alexandra Simmons, Lauren Mott and Courtney Cherricks for a time of 8:51.42 for seventh place. Richeda split a time of 2:16.14 in the event.

 

DIVER OF THE WEEK – Lydia Benjamin, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Diver, Elmira, NY/Elmira

Benjamin was the top diver for the Knights at the Don Richards Diving Invitational at RIT this past weekend, scoring a 425.40 in the 1-meter dive and a 362.65 in the 3-meter dive. It is Benjamin’s second E8 weekly accolade of 2025-26.

 

MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jacob Miller, SUNY Geneseo, Sr., Sprints, Brockport, NY/Brockport

Miller opened the indoor track season on a high note for the Knights, winning both the 400-meter dash and 4×400-meter relay at Nazareth on Friday. Miller posted a time of 48.27 in the 400-meters, adjusted to 47.55 seconds in the NCAA rankings, which is currently third in Division III. Miller was also part of the winning 4×400-meter relay team with a time of 3:18.55, which adjusted to NCAA standards, is the top time in Division III to date in 2025-26.

 

FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Dennis Bobbitt, SUNY Brockport, So., Jumps, Buffalo, NY/St. Joseph’s

Bobbitt opened the 2025-26 season at Houghton Classic over the weekend, in style, showing out with two first place finishes. Bobbitt finished strong in the long jump with a 7.28 meter (23’ 10.75”) jump good for first overall at the meet and ranks third to date in Division III. He then made a statement in the triple jump, taking first with a leap of 14.86 meters (48’ 9”), which was one of the best in league history and currently puts him third in all of Division III. 

 

WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD

TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Laura Suppa, Utica, Gr., Hurdles, Canastota, NY/Canastota

Suppa made her presence on the track known in her debut for the Pioneers, posting a new school, facility, and briefly shattered the Empire 8 record in the 60-meter hurdles. In the prelims, Suppa managed to shatter the school record with a time of 8.75 seconds and followed that performance up with a massive 8.69 second effort in the finals. The previous Empire 8 record of 8.72 was set last season by Geneseo’s Jillian Ambler, who also re-broke the mark with a time of 8.67 seconds over the weekend. Suppa currently has the fourth-best time in Division III.

 

FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jillian Ambler, SUNY Geneseo, Jr., Sprints/Jumps, Fairport, NY/Fairport

Ambler won two events for the Knights in their season opening meet at Nazareth on Friday. Ambler won the finals of the 60-meter hurdles in 8.70 seconds after breaking her own E8 record earlier in the meet at 8.67 seconds, then took the top spot in the long jump at 5.89 meters (19’ 4”). She currently has the best long jump in all of Division III and has the third best 60-meter hurdles time in the nation.

 

MEN’S WRESTLING

WRESTLER OF THE WEEK – Trevor Bishop, St. John Fisher, So., 149 lbs., Brunswick, NY/Tamarac

Bishop earned runner-up honors at 149 lbs. at the RIT Invitational on Saturday. He snuck past Isaac Judson of Williams by a 3-0 decision in his first match before winning 18-0 by technical fall in 4:10 over Jake Brown of Penn State Behrend, 8-0 by major decision over Brett Thomson of Scranton and by fall in just 58 seconds over Ty Trickle of Trinity College. He lost a hard-fought 1-0 battle to Caleb Seyfried of Williams College in the 149-pound championship bout. 

 

Basketball

The men’s basketball team lost its first game of the season 88-83 at Yeshiva University in Washington Heights on Wednesday. 

NYU started off strong, leading by 16 with just over 12 minutes left in the first half. However, Yeshiva fought back and cut the deficit to four by halftime. In the second half, the Maccabees took their first lead and held on to it for the final 13 minutes. Graduate student Darren Rubin had a chance to even the score late after graduate student Andrew Waldman secured an offensive rebound, but missed the potential game-tying three-pointer for the Violets.

Junior Carnegie Johnson led NYU in scoring with 20 points, and Rubin added 19 while hitting five threes. 

NYU bounced back with an 84-68 win against State University of New York, Farmingdale on Saturday, at the Paulson Center.

The game was tied 50-50 with just over 13 minutes left in the game, but a 7-0 run, started by a three-pointer by graduate student Alex Daniels, gave NYU the lead — which they would hold to secure the victory. 

Graduate student Luke Kolaja led the Violets with 25 points, shattering his previous high of 14 with NYU. Led by Rubin, Johnson and senior Bryan Moussako, who all shot over 50% from beyond the arc, NYU hit just over half of its threes.

The Violets return to action on Saturday, Dec. 13 at the Paulson Center where they will host Lancaster Bible College.

Fencing

The men’s and women’s fencing teams competed at the Sacred Heart Tradition Meet in Fairfield, CT on Saturday.

The Violets opened the day with a 19-8 loss against Princeton University after claiming epee 5-4 but dropping both saber and foil 7-2. In its second match, the team fell to Yale University 15-12 after coming up short, losing saber 6-3 and foil 5-4. NYU claimed its first victory of the day against Sacred Heart University after winning foil and epee 7-2 and 5-4, respectively. The Violets concluded with a 21-6 win over Vassar College, sweeping foil 9-0, claiming epee 7-2 and taking saber 5-4.

Senior Jerry Pan had seven victories in saber, while senior Farr Dickson claimed seven wins in foil and sophomore Ajit Sivakumar posted five wins in epee. 

The women’s team opened with a 16-11 loss against Princeton despite taking epee 6-3. In a tight battle, the team dropped its second match 15-12 against Temple University after a poor 8-1 loss in foil. In its third match, the Violets fell to Yale 18-9 despite their 6-3 win in epee. NYU claimed its first victory of the day in a 24-3 win over Sacred Heart, sweeping saber, foil and epee. The team closed out the meet with a 18-9 win over Vassar, where they swept foil 9-0.

Sophomore Katherine Chen continued her strong form with eight wins in epee. Junior 

Audrey Shitamoto picked up eight wins in foil, and first-year Liisa Hambazaza posted five wins in saber.

Both the men’s and women’s teams are back in action at the Philadelphia Invitational on Jan. 17 at the University of Pennsylvania. 

Swimming 

The men’s swimming team closed out the fall semester on Saturday with 194-104 and 211-89 victories over Fordham University and The College of New Jersey, respectively. 

At the tri-meet, NYU’s “A” team of sophomore Teddy McQuaid, sophomore Sean Li, junior Pierce Downs and junior Greg Wehbe claimed a narrow victory in the 200-yard medley, finishing just 0.03 seconds ahead of Fordham’s “A” team. 

Downs competed again in the 200-yard freestyle, taking home first place with a time of 1:40.36. Li picked up another victory for the Violets in the 100-yard breaststroke just ahead of junior Victor Derani.

Sophomore Maksym Nechydyuk placed first in the 200-yard butterfly race with a time of 1:53.56, while Derani won the 200-yard breaststroke by recording a time of 2:04.19.

In diving, senior Makai Harder and sophomore Nolan Jennings took second and third place, respectively, in the one-meter competition.

The women’s swimming team was in action on Saturday against Fordham and TCNJ, defeating the former 197-103. 

The Violets’ “A” team of first-year Maeve O’Donnell, first-year Babette Bradley, senior Nicole Ranile and first-year Llew Ladomirak took home second in the 200-yard medley relay, finishing under half a second behind Fordham.

Senior Emily Muller claimed first place in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 10:29.10 — her best performance of the season in the event — while fellow senior Kaley McIntyre took home first in the 200-yard freestyle, just ahead of Ladomirak, who finished second.

Bradley and first-year Sammy Wong put in strong performances for NYU in the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing first and second, respectively. McIntyre continued to show her dominance, claiming the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles.

Diving against Fordham, senior Meera Kasturi led the way for the Violets, taking third in the three-meter competition and fourth in the one-meter action.

Both the men’s and women’s teams are back in action with the swimmers competing against Gettysburg College on Jan. 14 and the full team facing off against John Hopkins University for Senior Day on Jan. 17 at Palladium Athletic Facility.

Track and field 

The men’s and women’s track and field teams opened the season with a pair of meets on Friday. Three athletes headed uptown for the Armory Collegiate Distance Carnival, and a larger group traveled to Staten Island for the FastTrack Season Opener.

At the carnival, sophomore Katharine Frank led the Violets with her fifth-place finish in the 3000m run, and sophomore Deia Mulligan set a personal best of 11:13.33 finishing sixth in the same event. In his first collegiate meet, first-year Edomias Mulugeta earned a top-10 finish for the men in the 3000m run. 

In the FastTrack Season Opener, NYU scored three top-five finishes in the mile. Junior Julian Aske stormed into second place, earning the highest finish for either team all weekend. From the women’s team, sophomore Gianna Dawson took fourth place and sophomore Rina Kurihara landed behind her by a hair. 

In first-year Alexa McMillian’s first meet with NYU, she finished fourth in the long jump with a distance of 5.31 meters. Two athletes from the men’s team, seniors Drew Boyce and James Thompson, also competed in the long jump and ended up 34 and 36 of 48 jumpers.

Thompson had a successful day, taking seventh in the 60m dash and setting a new career best of 7.26 seconds and earning a fifth-place finish in the 400m run. Sophomore Tyler Burch took fourth in the 60m dash.

The women’s team also sent four distance runners to Boston University on Saturday for the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener. Sophomore Stella Kuttner was the Violets’ top runner, finishing 58 of 95 athletes in the women’s 3,000m run.

Both teams will compete in the NYC Gotham Cup on Jan. 16, held at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island. 

Wrestling 

The No. 13-ranked wrestling team placed second overall at the Petrofes Invitational held in Mechanicsburg, PA on Saturday. 

The team’s outstanding performance on Friday earned NYU the top spot after the first day of competition, beating out host school Messiah University. Eight of NYU’s wrestlers qualified for Saturday’s events, including senior Jacob Venezia, who took first overall in the 133-pound weight class. First-year Cristian Gioia made it to the final match of the 174-pound bracket, but fell short of the win. The six remaining Violets fell in the semifinals of their brackets.

Messiah ended up back on top after day two of the meet, accumulating 172 points, just above NYU’s 158. Venezia had a productive day, winning his bracket once again, while Gioia fought hard to take second place in the 174-pound class. Three more Violets added points for NYU with third-place finishes.

The team returns home after the new year to host the UAA Challenge on Jan. 3, facing off against Johns Hopkins University, Gettysburg College and Centenary University. 

Contact the Sports Desk at [email protected].

WALTHAM, Mass. – Shortly after winning its third consecutive NCAA DII East Regional Championship, the Bentley volleyball team was named the #6 seed for the NCAA Quarterfinals at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The Falcons take on #3 Point Loma Thursday, Dec. 11, at 12 p.m. (EST).

Bentley returns to the site of the 2024 NCAA Quarterfinals, where the Falcons made volleyball history. Bentley became the first #8 seed to beat the #1 seed when it outlasted Ferris State in five sets.

Bentley is the only program to reach the NCAA Quarterfinals in each of the past three seasons.  

A preview of Bentley’s 2025 NCAA Quarterfinals appearance will be published later this week.

 

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RIVERDALE, NY – Manhattan Women’s Lacrosse Head Coach Jenna Dingler has announced 12 additions to the Jaspers program ahead of the 2026-27 academic year, on Monday afternoon. These names include Mary Kate Cappiello, Gianna Cirelli, Gianna Felicetti, Maddie Francis, Gwen Gyurovits, Molly McCann, Maggie Piatt, Kennedy Poser, Ellie Scardina, Gabrielle Sohngen, Morgan Rodoff, and Capri Valentino.

Mary Kate Capiello – Midfield – Drexel Hill, PA

Prior to College: Four years of varsity lacrosse at Bonner Prendie Catholic High School … Stands at 92 goals and over 100 career assists … Four Time All-Catholic Selection … Played basketball, field hockey, track, and soccer as well at the varsity level … Team Captain for both basketball and lacrosse … Four years of student council.

Why Cappiello Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan for the welcoming community and the way it felt like home right when I got to campus. I love both the coaches and atmosphere here.” 

Dingler Quote: “Mary Kate is a versatile, athletic midfielder who brings a competitive edge and toughness to the midfield.”

Gianna Cirelli – Midfield – Mahopac, NY

Prior to College: Played three years of varsity lacrosse at Mahopac High School … Tallied 87 goals, 101 ground balls, 27 assists, and 63 draw controls in her ongoing career … Also been a varsity cheerleader, track runner, and tennis player … All-Section and All-League selections … Honor Roll first three years of high school.

Why Cirelli Chose Manhattan: “I chose to go to Manhattan University to play Division I women’s lacrosse because I love the beautiful campus and the supportive community it offers. Manhattan offers amazing opportunities to student-athletes, such as amazing training facilities and coaching to strong acadmemic support. This helps me balance both my academics and sports. Their psychology program is known to be amazing which will challenge and inspire me to grow both on and off the field. Manhatttan felt like the perfect place to call home while being able to pursue my passion for lacrosse and getting a great education, along with making lifelong friends.”

Dingler Quote: “Gianna is a small, but mighty attacker out of Mahopac High. She will bring speed, skill, and a high-level of playmaking ability to the offensive end.” 

Gianna Felicetti – Attack – Lindenhurst, NY

Prior to College: Two seasons of varsity lacrosse at Kellenberg Memorial High School … Accumulated 70 draw controls, 25 goals, and 20 assists … Honor Roll student … Played at the club level for Long Island Top Guns. 

Why Felicetti Chose Manhattan: “I love the atmosphere, coaches, campus, and location.”  

Dingler Quote: “Gianna will bring size, power, and versatility to both the offense and the draw circle.”

Maddie Francis – Attack – Simsbury, CT

Prior to College: Four years of varsity lacrosse from Simsbury High School … Netted over 100 career points … CIAC Class L State Champions in the spring of 2025 with Simsbury … First Team All-State and CCC All-Conference past two seasons … High Honor Roll and AP Scholar.

Why Francis Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan because I loved the lacrosse program and absolutely fell in love with the campus! I love having all the opportunities that Manhattan offers me!” 

Dingler Quote: “Maddie will come in as a creative attacker, bringing quickness, vision, and playmaking ability to our offense.”

Gwen Gyurovits – Attack – Voorheesville, NY

Prior to College: Five years of varsity lacrosse at Voorheesville High School … Accumulated 130 goals and 96 assists for a total of 226 points … Three-Time First-Team Colonial Council All-Star … Times Union Athlete of the Week … Also played two years of varsity soccer.

Why Gyurovits Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan because the coaches along with the players on the team had great energy and made me feel very welcome when I first met them. The campus and its location was appealing. Along with the campus, I loved the city environment around it.”

Dingler Quote: “Coming in as a dynamic draw specialist and midfielder, Gwen adds strength, skill, and fierce competitiveness to our unit.”

Molly McCann – Goalkeeper – Hatboro, PA

Prior to College: Played varsity lacrosse at Upper Moreland High School … Recorded over 100 career saves in her first season as goalkeeper … Breakout Player of the Year (2024) … Member of National Honors Society … Top 9% of graduating class. 

Why McCann Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan University because overall it was such a great fit for me. The campus is beautiful in a perfect location, a good mixture of the neighborhood of Riverdale and a 35 minute subway to Times Square and just over 90 minutes from my home. Manhattan was filled with such friendly people walking on campus, professors, coaches, and teammates. Manhattan is very well known for their engineering program which I want to pursue in college, as they just got a new building for engineering! Being a part of a great conference like the MAAC, I’m looking forward to my upcoming years at Manhattan!”

Dingler Quote: “As a lifelong lacrosse player, Molly brings energy, competitiveness, and a steady presence between the pipes. She will be ready to make an immediate impact.” 

Maggie Piatt – Attack – Indianapolis, IN

Prior to College: Four years of varsity lacrosse at Bishop Chatard High School … Led the state in assists, led team for last three seasons in both goals and assists … All-Conference and All-Area selection … Honorable Mention All-State … National Honors Society member and Honor Roll selection. 

Why Piatt Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan for the diversity, as well as a new experience away from home.”

Dingler Quote: “Maggie brings size, power, and versatility to the offense and draw circle.” 

Kennedy Poser – Midfield – Monmouth Beach, NJ

Prior to College: Two years of varsity lacrosse at Ranney School … Tacked on 76 goals, 74 ground balls, 14 assists, 128 draw controls, and 33 forced turnovers … Shore conference Leader in goals scored and draw controls (2025) … First-Team Independence Division (2025).

Why Poser Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan because I wanted to both be in the city and play lacrosse.” 

Dingler Quote: “Coming in as a skilled, competitive midfielder, Kennedy brings speed, talent, and a strong work ethic.” 

Ellie Scardina – Defense – Farmingdale, NY

Prior to College: Played varsity lacrosse at both Farmingdale and Saint Dominic High School in Oyster Bay … Two-time All-League … Accumulated 31 caused turnovers, 22 goals, and 16 assists … Varsity starter since freshman season … Two-time scholar athlete.

Why Scardina Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan because I love the atmosphere and the welcoming I got when I first stepped onto campus, it felt like home.” 

Dingler Quote: “Coming in as a tough and talented defender, Ellie brings grit, discipline, and a lockdown presence to the defense.” 

Gabrielle Sohngen – Defense – Port Jefferson Station, NY

Prior to College: Four years of varsity lacrosse at Comsewogue High School … Anchored the defense for her team in that time … Unsung Hero Award and Warrior Award … Also plays varsity field hockey … National Honors Society member.

Why Sohngen Chose Manhattan: “I chose to attend Manhattan University because of the atmosphere and people. The team dynamic is amazing and it felt like home to me. The teammates, coaches, and staff all made me feel so welcomed. I love that the classes are smaller which enables me to get more individualized instruction and enforces a better learning environment.”

Dingler Quote: “Being a hardworking defender, Gabrielle adds toughness, determination, and a team-first approach.” 

Morgan Rodoff – Defense – Lansdale, PA

Prior to College: Four years of varsity lacrosse at North Penn High School … All-League Suburban One … Honor Roll selection.

Why Rodoff Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan for the location, the academics, and the super welcoming team and coaching staff.”

Dingler Quote: “Steady and strong, Morgan brings good energy, a relentless work ethic, and a commanding defensive presence.” 

Capri Valentino – Attack – Allentown, NJ

Prior to College: Four years of varsity lacrosse and team captain at Notre Dame High School in Lawrence, NJ … Career statistics include 137 goals, 121 assists for a total of 258 points, along with 50 ground balls, 16 draw controls, and three forced turnovers … All-Trentonian Attacker of the Year … All-CVC First-Team … Honor Roll selection.

Why Valentino Chose Manhattan: “I chose Manhattan because I loved the coaching staff, and I’ve been going to NYC since I was little and I cannot wait to live there. I’m super excited to be a part of the lacrosse program, it seemed like a family and I can’t wait to take part in the team bonding.”

Dingler Quote: “A highly decorated attacker, Capri brings creativity, precision, and a pure scorer’s mindset. Her vision of the attack will add a ton of value to our offensive unit.” 

Follow Manhattan Women’s Lacrosse on X (@ManhattanWLax) and Instagram (@ManhattanWLacrosse_). 

Starting in August, Williams Gym welcomed back the sound of balls bouncing, sneakers squeaking, and the scoreboard buzzing as Vixen volleyball returned to Sweet Briar.

Previously active from 1979-2010, the volleyball program saw success on the court with three student-athletes named to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) All-Conference Team in 1995, 2001, and 2002. In spring 2025, Vixen Athletics announced the return of the program, giving new life to volleyball at Sweet Briar. To lead that charge, AJ Escobar was tapped to serve as head coach.

Mila Mutabdzija ’28 returns the ball.“Our goal was to try and get 1% percent better every day. We focused on small statistical increments and really understanding what volleyball means to Sweet Briar,” Escobar said.

Starting a new program involves facing numerous challenges, chief among them recruiting a team and preparing for competition. In lieu of taking a year to plan and recruit, Escobar jumped right in to start a season of independent competition. This year’s roster was composed of 12 student-athletes, including returning students, incoming first years, and transfers. Escobar, accompanied by Gracyn Wright ’28, came to Sweet Briar from St. Andrews University following the announcement of the university’s closure.

“From the moment he arrived on campus, Coach Escobar has shown exactly the kind of vision, energy, and resilience we were looking for to bring volleyball back to Sweet Briar,” said Director of Athletics Donna Meyer Hodgert ’89. “He has faced every obstacle head-on—from a roster of largely inexperienced athletes to jumping straight into NCAA competition without a recruiting year—and he’s done it with unwavering positivity. Coach Escobar’s determination, and belief in our student-athletes have already reenergized our program and laid a foundation for the future of Sweet Briar volleyball.”

When looking at the current student body to fill out the team’s roster, Escobar sought out athletes that understand Sweet Briar and know what it means to be a Vixen.

“Many on the team were already a part of the College. They know how the school runs, they know what’s expected, and they know how to be a part of Sweet Briar,” Escobar said. “That was my biggest thing when I was holding tryouts in August, finding athletes that fit those criteria. We also benefited from students who brought true athleticism to the team.”

Among those who joined the team as a returning student was Clara Delattre ’25, a senior leader on campus who brought a lot of assistance to Escobar and the team. The comeback season featured a full schedule of 21 games, offering the Vixens many opportunities to strengthen their skills and build the foundation of the program.

“Rebuilding the volleyball team has been an incredible experience,” said Rachael Hunt ’29. “I met an amazing group of girls, forged strong bonds that I’ve never found anywhere else, and my athletic capabilities were explored in ways that have been unique to this team.”

Two Vixens block a shot from the opposing team.For Escobar, the main focus of the season, and the program long-term, is to build competitiveness. While the team didn’t earn any wins during its inaugural season, they saw consistent and impressive improvement, including a 31% decrease in average reception errors and a 49% increase in digs per game from the first seven games to their last seven games. Looking ahead, Escobar has an ambitious three-year plan, from securing a conference win next year to making the ODAC tournament by their fourth season back.

“In three years, I’d love to be established in the ODAC as a fierce team, having a consistent and competitive atmosphere,” he said. “The support from Donna Hodgert, Brian Hensley, Nicole Schimmenti, our athletic trainers, and everyone in Athletics, as well as President Hutson, throughout a chaotic start was absolutely amazing and fantastic. I’m very appreciative of them. They do their jobs very well. Thank you.”