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Vixen Volleyball Serves Up Comeback Season • Sweet Briar College

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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.

Girl hits volleyball 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.”

Volleyball players block ball 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.”





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NC State kicks off indoor track season with strong distance performances – Technician

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There’s no shortage of fast runners in the NC State athletic program. With women’s cross country coming off an NCAA National Championship run, many of the same speedsters who hoisted the big trophy have made the transition to indoor track season.

NC State’s top runners made the trip up to Boston, Massachusetts, to compete in the Boston University Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener, while the throwers stayed close to home and competed in the Winston-Salem College Kick-off in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Success continued for the Wolfpack in long distance running as a number of athletes marked strong performances in the 3000m and 5000m races.

In the 3000m, junior Angelina Napoleon led the charge with a fourth-place finish in the elite first heat, with a time of 8:46.15. Also competing in the first heat, Sadie Englehardt finished 17th with a time of 9:09.47. Junior Kate Putman competed in the second heat, finishing 14th with a time of 9:17.92.

Three NC State athletes competed in the 5000m, with senior Briley Bickerstaff finishing 40th with a time of 15:59.61, graduate Brooke Rauber finishing 54th with a time of 16:06.79 and junior Jolena Quarzo finishing 72nd with a time of 16:15.68.

Senior Grace Hartman, notably absent from the initial indoor track events, was away competing in the 2025 USA Track & Field Cross-Country Championships. In a field full of current and former NCAA champions and USA Olympians, Hartman finished with a strong sixth-place time of 34:25.7.

On the men’s side, junior Elliot McArthur sped through the mile in 4:03.19, placing eighth overall to become No. 9 on NC State’s top-10 list. Sophomore Noah Valyo and the UNC-Chapel Hill transfer, junior Luke Wiley, competed in the 5000m. Vaylo finished 156th in 14:27.13 and Wily finished 177th in 14:39.19.

In the throwing events, taking place in Winston Salem, junior Tony Taylor II showed out with a runner-up finish in the weight throw with a personal-best 17.83-meter toss. Sophomore Bradley Pawlak also showed some gusto with a fifth-place mark of 17.24. In the women’s weight throw, junior Natalie Griffith finished fifth with a personal-best 16.80-meter toss.

The Wolfpack women’s shotputters also made the trip to Winston-Salem. Junior Iniyah Mitchell finished 26th with a mark of 10.38m, while graduate Jakerra Covington finished 32nd with a mark of 9.71.

Next up, the Pack will head to Blacksburg, Virginia, for the Virginia Tech Invitational Jan. 16-17.



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NCAA Women’s Div I Volleyball Tournament Glance

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By The Associated Press

2025 NCAA Women’s Div I Volleyball Tournament Glance All Times EST

First Round

Thursday, Dec. 4

No. 4 Colorado def. American, 25-16, 25-19, 25-16

No. 4 Kansas def. High Point, 25-20, 25-15, 25-18

No. 6 Baylor def. Arkansas St., 23-25, 25-20, 30-28, 23-25, 15-10

No. 5 Miami (FL) def. Tulsa, 25-22, 13-25, 25-22, 25-20

No. 4 Indiana def. Toledo, 25-18, 25-15, 25-17

North Carolina def. No. 6 UTEP, 24-26, 25-11, 25-18, 25-21

No. 8 UCLA def. Georgia Tech, 24-26, 25-19, 23-25, 25-18, 25-10

No. 6 N. Iowa def. Utah, 15-25, 21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 15-10

Utah St. def. No. 7 Tennessee, 25-19, 25-15, 20-25, 18-25, 15-11

No. 3 Purdue def. Wright St., 25-13, 25-21, 25-19

No. 1 Kentucky def. Wofford, 25-11, 25-19, 25-12

Cal Poly def. No. 5 BYU, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 25-20, 15-10

No. 3 Creighton def. Northern Colorado, 25-12, 23-25, 23-25, 25-17, 15-8

No. 2 Arizona St. def. Coppin St., 25-11, 25-14, 25-12

No. 4 Southern Cal def. Princeton, 25-19, 25-12, 25-13

No. 3 Wisconsin def. Eastern Ill., 25-11, 25-6, 25-19

Friday, Dec. 5

Marquette def. No. 7 W. Kentucky, 25-22, 25-21, 25-16

Michigan def. No. 8 Xavier, 25-19, 25-15, 25-23

Kansas St. def. No. 8 San Diego vs., 21-25, 25-17, 26-28, 25-22, 15-12

No. 6 TCU def. Steven F. Austin St., 25-8, 26-24, 25-20

Florida def. No. 7 Rice, 27-25, 25-23, 25-19

No. 5 Iowa St. def. St. Thomas (Minn.), 21-25, 25-13, 25-16, 21-25, 15-8

No. 8 Penn St. def. South Florida, 25-23, 12-25, 25-21, 25-19

No. 1 Pittsburgh def. UMBC, 25-10, 25-17, 25-13

No. 2 Louisville def. Loyola Chicago, 25-17, 25-9, 25-12

No. 2 SMU def. Cent. Arkansas, 25-13, 25-13, 25-13

No. 3 Texas A&M def. Campbell, 25-17, 25-9, 25-12

Arizona def. No. 7 South Dakota St., 25-21, 22-25, 25-15, 25-15

No. 1 Nebraska def. LIU, 25-11, 25-15, 25-17

No. 1 Texas def. Florida A&M, 25-11, 25-8, 25-14

No. 4 Minnesota def. Fairfield, 25-12, 25-7, 25-13

No. 2 Stanford def. Utah Valley, 21-25, 25-21, 25-13, 25-14

Second Round
Friday, Dec. 5

No. 3 Purdue def. No. 6 Baylor, 25-16, 25-19, 23-25, 25-20

No. 4 Indiana def. No. 5 Colorado, 25-20, 25-17, 25-13

No. 1 Kentucky def. No. 8 UCLA, 30-25, 25-16, 28-30, 25-17

No. 4 Kansas def. No. 5 Miami, 25-17, 25-22, 22-25, 27-25

No. 3 Creighton def. N. Iowa, 25-18, 23-25, 25-22, 25-21

No. 2 Arizona St. def. Utah St., 25-15, 25-18, 22-25, 25-15

No. 3 Wisconsin def. North Carolina, 25-14, 25-21, 27-25

Cal Poly def. No. 4 Southern Cal, 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 14-25, 15-7

Saturday, Dec. 6

No. 2 Louisville def. Marquette, 21-15, 25-11, 23-25, 25-19, 15-12

No. 1 Pittsburgh def. Michigan, 25-23, 25-23, 25-18

No. 1 Texas def. No. 8 Penn St., 25-16, 25-9, 25-19

No. 1 Nebraska def. Kansas St., 25-17, 25-21, 25-16

No. 2 SMU def. Florida, 25-11, 25-21, 26-24

No. 3 Texas A&M def. TCU, 23-25, 25-22, 25-23, 29-27

No. 4 Minnesota def. No. 5 Iowa St., 25-22, 25-21, 25-14

No. 2 Stanford def. Arizona, 25-16, 25-27, 25-17, 25-20

Third Round
Thursday, Dec. 11

No. 2 Arizona State vs. No. 3 Creighton, 1 p.m.

No. 1 Kentucky vs. Cal Poly, 3:30 p.m.

No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 4 Minnesota, 7 p.m.

No. 2 SMU vs. No. 3 Purdue, 9:30 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 12

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 4 Indiana, noon

No. 2 Stanford vs. No. 3 Wisconsin, 2:30 p.m.

No. 2 Louisville vs. No. 3 Texas A&M, 7 p.m.

No. 1 Nebraska vs. No. 4 Kansas, 9:30 p.m.





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Colby Sweeps Team Titles at Home Elm City Classic

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Waterville, Maine – The Colby College Men’s and Women’s Track & Field teams opened their indoor season in dominant fashion, sweeping both team titles as they hosted the Elm City Classic. The men scored 155 points to finish 1st of 5 teams, while the women collected 168 points to finish 1st of 4 teams on their home track.

The men delivered strong performances from sprints to field events. Ian Irwin won the 60m (7.02), while Levi Biery swept both the 200m (23.12) and 60m hurdles (8.47). Jackson Coelho claimed the 600m (1:21.71) and later anchored the victorious 4x400m relay with Sam Graubart, Biery, and Logan Sullivan (3:32.24). In the distance events, Stephen White captured the 3000m (8:32.80), and the Mules won the distance medley relay behind Chris Gould, Liam McGoldrick, Hugh McGuire, and Danny Reyes (11:07.15). Colby also earned multiple wins in the field, highlighted by Logan Sullivan taking the high jump (1.93m) and Logan Lehnert winning the pole vault (4.45m).

The women controlled the meet from start to finish, led by Charlotte Brake-Hoffman, who won both the 60m (7.90) and 200m (25.87). Tally Zeller took the 400m (59.16), Kaitlyn Ewald earned wins in the 600m (1:38.07) and long jump (5.14m), and Paige Goodwin secured the mile (5:44.18). Josie Hopkins won the 60m hurdles (9.62) and placed second in the pentathlon, while the 4x400m relay of Ellie Wang, Brake-Hoffman, Amina Cifric, and Alex Hermsdorff (4:11.92) closed out the track events with another Colby victory. In the field, Amina Cifric won the pole vault (3.32m).

The meet produced a strong list of AARTFC qualifiers, and several Mules broke into the Colby all-time top ten, including Hopkins (#3 LJ), Cifric (#4 PV), Sullivan (#5 HJ, facility record), Jack Coelho (#5 600m, facility record), and several multi-event athletes.

The Mules will be back on January 16th for the Bates Invitational at Lewiston, Maine. 



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Gunderson Tabbed NSIC Wrestler of the Week

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BURNSVILLE, Minn. – For the first time in his career, Coy Gunderson has been named NSIC Wrestler of the Week, announced by the conference office on Monday afternoon. 

Coy Gunderson (174 lbs., R-Jr., Murdock, Minn. / Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg HS)

– Went 2-0 in a pair of conference duals

– Opened with a 4-2 decision over Damen Pape of Northern State

– Had a second-period escape and third-period takedown

– Earned a 4-1 decision over No. 3-ranked Drake Hayward of No. 12 Minnesota State

– Set the tone, earning a takedown in the final 10 seconds of the third period



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Penn State track and field opens indoor season dominating 3 meets | Penn State Track & Field News

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With snow on the ground outside each of the three facilities, Penn State kicked off its 2025-26 indoor season in Boston, Philadelphia and Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

The Nittany Lions competed at the Penn Opener, Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener and Bison Opener, where they earned 12 top finishes across the three meets.

Penn Opener

Senior multi-eventer Maddie Pitts got things going on Friday at the Penn Opener, where she won the pentathlon with a meet record score of 4,132.

Pitts broke the meet record in the 60-meter hurdles, long jump and shot put — which was also a personal best — as she opened the season right where she left off last year.

Sophomore Hannah Riolo continued the strong performance momentum on Saturday as she jumped 1.75m for second place in the women’s high jump. Riolo was followed by Katie Becker and Gwen Cudmore in fifth and sixth place, who jumped 1.72m and 1.62m, respectively.

In the women’s long jump, Lizzie Schreiber jumped her way into first place with a personal-best performance of 5.98m.

Schreiber finished the Penn Opener in the women’s triple jump, where she finished in second place with a jump of 12.74m.

Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener

Sophomore Tayissa Buchanan opened the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener with a bang, running the second-fastest 800-meter in Penn State history.

Buchanan broke her personal best by nearly five seconds as she ran a 2:02.67 for second place.

In the women’s 3,000 meters, sophomore Ada Rand also etched herself into the No. 2 spot in Penn State history. Rand ran a 9:06.18 to finish fourth at the invite, followed by Sarah Pickering in 9:29.65 for 25th place.

Senior Justin Healey earned a personal best in the men’s 3,000m, running a time of 8:05.23 to finish 36th out of 124 runners.

The women’s 5,000 meters saw a pair of personal bests for Penn State, as Charlotte Costich took over a minute off her time to earn the No. 3 mark in school history.

Costich finished in 22nd place with a time of 15:49.68, followed by Claire Daniels in 65th with a time of 16:13.69.

Nick Sloff came out of the gates in the men’s 5000m in similar fashion, earning the No. 2 spot in school history with a 13:45.36 for 38th place.

Bison Opener

Freshman Lucas Band bursted onto the scene in the men’s 60-meter hurdles, where he finished first in both the prelims and the finals with a time of 8.17 seconds.

Addyson White shared similar consistency in the women’s 60m hurdles, finishing second in both races with a time of 8.88 seconds.

Sophomore Scotty Coffi showed improvement through both races at the Bison Opener as he finished second in the prelims and finals. Coffi earned a personal-best 6.84 in the prelims before cutting to 6.78 seconds in the finals.

Freshman Will Landwer made his collegiate debut in the men’s 60m, running 6.97 seconds for seventh place before scratching his finals.

The Nittany Lions also had a strong showing in the women’s 60m, as White took the win with a personal-best 7.59-second performance.

Alexandria North and White also earned finals berths, finishing in 7.69 seconds and 7.84 seconds for third and sixth place, respectively.

Graduate student Collin Burkhart picked up where he left off last season in the men’s weight throw, winning the event with a throw of 20.38m. MIT transfer Sam Engebretson finished third in his Penn State debut, throwing 19.30m.

Alex Pancoast earned a big personal best in the women’s weight throw, as shce threw 18.97m for another first place.

Gabby Cope finished third with 17.18m, followed by junior Gabi Deglau in fourth with 17.07m.

The men’s high jump experienced a Penn State sweep in the top three places, as junior Robert Allen won the event with a jump of 2.05m. Freshman Trip Campbell finished second with 2.05m, followed by Tim Watson tying for third in 1.95m.

The women’s pole vault saw similar domination by the Nittany Lions. Senior Meredith Baham led the way with a jump of 4.00m for first place, with sophomore Amelia McBain in second with 3.70m.

The Nittany Lions had four runners compete in the women’s 200 meter, including North leading the way in second place with a 24.99 performance. Duffy, Jacoutot and Aument finished in sixth, eighth and 13th, respectively.

Cope earned her second podium finish of the day in the women’s shot put, throwing 14.95m for first place.

Tristan McGarrah earned Penn State another first-place finish in the women’s pole vault, jumping 5.00m. Mason Bucks finished in third with 4.70m.

The Nittany Lions ended the Bison Invite in the men’s shot put as Engebretson won with a throw of 17.41m. Iowa transfer Brady Mider finished fifth with a personal best 16.67m.

Up next

The Nittany Lions will host their first of three indoor meets with the Nittany Lion Challenge on Saturday, Jan. 17.

MORE TRACK AND FIELD COVERAGE


Looking at Penn State track and field’s best athletes ahead of 2025-26 indoor season

Less than two weeks after the Penn State cross country team experienced its best finish at t…

 

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Empire 8 Conference Players of the Week – December 8, 2025

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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. 

 



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