ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conferences (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending Oct. 8, 2017. A total of 25 student-athletes were recognized for performances from Oct. 2 – Oct. 8, 2017.
 
 
CROSS COUNTRY (#MACxc)
 
MAC Men’s Runner of the Week
Benjamin Schott (Messiah / Jr. / Hanover, Pa.) earns his second-straight conference runner of the week award and third of the season. Schott finished second overall and was the top MAC runner in field of 271 runners from both Division II and III programs at the DeSales Cross Country Invitational. The senior crossed the finish line of the 8K race in a time of 25:58.4, just six seconds behind the individual champion. The two were the only sub-26 minutes runners with third-place finishing 12 seconds behind Schott. Messiah won the team title against a field of 28 teams.
 
MAC Women’s Runner of the Week
Veronica Wheeler (DeSales / Sr. / Yardley, Pa.) earns her second conference runner of the week award. Wheeler took home first place individually at the DeSales Cross Country Invitational. The senior won the individual title placing first by more than 29 seconds with a time of 22:07.4. Wheeler won the 6K race against a field of 225 runners that consisted of Division II and III competitors. She led the Bulldogs to a fourth-place team finish out of 22 teams.
 
 
FIELD HOCKEY (#MACfh)
 
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Carissa Gehman (Messiah / Sr., F / Holtwood, Pa.) had an impressive week with 15 points on seven goals and one assist to lead the No. 1 Falcons to a 2-0 week. Gehman, who tallied both game-winners, recorded 25 shots and 19 on goal during the week. The senior scored two goals and added an assist in 6-1 win over Gettysburg. Gehman then tallied a career-high and program-record five goals in a 5-1 road win at Stevenson.
 
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Lexie Eberly (Widener / So., D / Lebanon, Pa.) led a defensive unit that allowed just two shots, none on goal, in a 2-0 week for the Pride. Eberly shut down Moravian, allowing one shot by the Greyhounds, in a 4-0 victory. In a conference road game, the sophomore shut down Hood by allowing just one shot in a 6-0 victory. The Pride allowed just two penalty corners through 140 minutes of action.
 
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Emily Antinozzi (Manhattanville / Jr., F / Rye, N.Y.) scored three of the Valiants’ five goals in a 1-1 week. Antinozzi capped the week with two goals, including the game-winner, in a 3-2 over Delaware Valley. The junior scored a late goal to give Manhattanville a chance in a 3-2 setback to Western Connecticut State to begin the week.
 
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Samantha Rubin (FDU-Florham / Jr., GK / Marlton, N.J.) earns her third conference weekly award of the season. Rubin led the Devils to a 2-0 week with two shutouts while making seven saves on 17 shots. She opened the week with two saves on six shots in a 1-0 win over Keystone. In conference action, Rubin made seven saves on 11 shots in a 4-0 win over Eastern.
 
 
MEN’S GOLF (#MACgolf)
 
MAC Commonwealth Golfer of the Week
Bryce Watkins (Messiah / So. / Naples, Fla.) put together a career day at the Gettysburg Invitational to win both the individual title and lead the Falcons to a tie for first-place. Watkins shot a 73 (+2) to account for his career-best performance by six strokes. The sophomore tied for first-place with McDaniel’s Christian Garuppo, but won the tie-breaker to claim the lead medal. Watkins’ performance helped Messiah to a season-best 319 overall, their best team results by 14 strokes thus far this season.
 
MAC Freedom Golfer of the Week
Bobby Greer III (FDU-Florham / Fr. / Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) led the Devils to a 304-345 dual meet win over William Paterson by tying for first-place with a two-over-par 74. Greer shot an even 36 with two birdies and an eagle on the first nine. The 304 team score was the Devils lowest score since carding a 303 in 2012.
 
 
WOMEN’S GOLF (#MACgolf)
 
MAC Golfer of the Week
Morgan Wirtz (Stevenson / Sr. / Whitehall, Md.) earns her second conference weekly award of the season. She finished top-10 after recovering with a second-round 76 (+4) in the second round of the General’s Invitational. Wirtz shot an 83 in the first round for a two-day score of 159 (+15) to finish tied for ninth place.
 
 
MEN’S SOCCER (#MACsoccer)
 
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Gabe Hochenberger (Alvernia / Jr., D / Riverton, N.J.) scored a pair of goals from the defensive position in a 1-1 week for the Golden Wolves in conference play. Hochenberger scored the game’s only goal in the 20^th minute of a 1-0 win against Arcadia. The junior came up big in a 2-1 double-overtime setback to Hood to end the week. The defender scored the game-tying goal in the 87th minute to force overtime and give the Golden Wolves a chance.
 
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Chris Solecki (Lycoming / Jr., GK / Hainesport, N.J.) earns his second conference weekly award of the season. Solecki notched a pair of shutout wins to keep the No. 16 Warriors perfect in conference play. The junior made five saves on 14 shots in a 2-0 win over regionally-ranked Lebanon Valley. After taking a 1-0 lead, Solecki made a sprawling save on a penalty kick to keep the Dutchmen off the board in the first half. He made one save on six shots in a 2-0 win over Arcadia. Solecki leads the MAC Commonwealth with a 0.49 goals-against average and a .875 save percentage.
 
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Alastair Dinnan (King’s / So., M / Ridgefield, Conn.) led the Monarchs to a 2-0 week with four points on two goals. The sophomore’s second goal of the week was important for three conference points. Dinnan scored a game-winning goal just 13 seconds into the second overtime for a 1-0 win over Manhattanville. The sophomore scored one goal earlier in the week in a 4-0 rout over Penn College.
 
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
JT Bretschneider (FDU-Florham / Sr., GK / Moorestown, N.J.) stood strong in a 1-1 week making 14 saves on 41 shots. Bretschneider did all he could to keep the Devils in the game with No. 8/13 Rutgers-Newark. The senior made nine saves on 22 shots in a 1-0 setback, with the only goal coming on a penalty kick. Bretschneider continued to be strong with five saves on 19 shots in a 1-0 win over Wilkes to end the week.
 
 
WOMEN’S SOCCER (#MACsoccer)
 
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Jess Kelly (Arcadia / Sr., M / Langhorne, Pa.) earns her second-straight conference weekly award. Kelly recorded five points on one goal and three assists in a 2-0 week. The senior set up both game-winning goals during the week. In a 4-1 win over Alvernia, Kelly set up the game-tying goal and the game-winning goal. In a 3-0 win over Lycoming, Kelly set up the game-winning goal and then added the third goal of the game.
 
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Alexis Tunney (Albright / Jr., GK / Galloway, N.J.) recorded a pair of shutouts in a 1-0-1 week in conference action last week.  She made 12 saves while facing 28 total shots in 202 minutes of action. Tunney was spectacular in a 0-0 double-overtime draw with No. 7 Messiah, making 10 saves on 24 shots. The junior then made two saves on four shots in a 1-0 overtime win over Lebanon Valley.
 
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Dianna Connor (Wilkes / Sr., F / Pleasant Valley, Pa.) had an impressive showing in the Colonels 3-1 win over conference foe FDU-Florham. The senior came off the bench and scored all three goals for her second hat trick of the season in the victory. She scored three goals on four shots in the victory. Connor tied the game just before halftime, and then scored two goals in a span of eight minutes in the second half.
 
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Mallory Fox (King’s / Jr., D / Kirkwood, N.Y.) anchored King’s defense that held Manhattanville to just two shots, none on goal, in a 2-0 victory in their only game of the week. The Valiants were also held to just one corner kick in the Monarchs’ win. The junior played a big role in keeping Manhattanville out of their offensive end for the majority of the game.
 
 
SWIMMING (#MACswim)
 
MAC Men’s Swimmer of the Week
Jared Byrne (Wilkes / Fr. / Pequea, Pa.) led the Colonels in the season opener against William Paterson with two individual victories and a relay victory. Byrne won both the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle events. The freshman become the first Colonel so swim a sub-50 second time in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 49.86 seconds. He currently has the fastest time in the conference. Byrne won the 200-yard freestyle with a new program-record time of 1:50.63. He anchored the winning 200-yard medley relay team that finished in a time of 1:45.59.
 
MAC Women’s Swimmer of the Week
Christine Kunzler (Widener / Sr. / Livermore, Calif.) led Widener in a meet against Stevenson with two individual victories and two relay wins. Kunzler won both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events in times of 25.08 seconds and 55.51 seconds, respectively. Both times are top marks in the conference. The senior anchored the 200-yard medley relay team that finished in a time of 1:55.55, and was the third leg on the 200-yard freestyle relay team that touched the wall in a time of 1:42.69.
 
 
MEN’S TENNIS (#MACtennis)
 
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Rob Smith (Lycoming / Sr. / Middleburg, Pa.) went 3-0 in singles play, entering the top-10 in program history in singles wins, and 2-1 in doubles play during a 2-1 week for the Warriors. At No. 2 singles, he won his matches 6-4, 6-0 over Penn College; 6-2, 6-0 over Misericordia; and 8-6 over FDU-Florham in pro sets. At No. 1 doubles, Smith won 8-6 over Penn College and 8-1 over Misericordia. Smith’s 27 career singles wins are tied for eighth in program history.
 
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Chris Fiorenza (FDU-Florham / So. / Phillipsburg, N.J.) was a perfect 6-0 (3-0 singles, 3-0 doubles) to lead the Devils to a 3-0 team record for the week. Fiorenza won his singles matches 6-0, 6-1 over Marywood; 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 over Farmingdale State; and 8-0 over Lycoming in pro sets. In doubles action, the sophomore won matches by scores of 9-8 (7-5) over Marywood; 9-7 over Farmingdale State; and 8-1 over Lycoming.
 
 
WOMEN’S TENNIS (#MACtennis)
 
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Hannah Summerson (Lycoming / So. / South Williamsport, Pa.) went 3-0 in singles play and 2-1 in doubles play during a 2-1 week for the Warriors. Summerson reached top-15 in school history in career singles (19) and doubles (20) wins. In singles action, she posted wins of 6-0, 6-0 against Penn College; 7-5, 6-3 over Misericordia and 8-4 over FDU-Florham in pro sets. In doubles action, Summerson won matches by scores of 8-0 against Penn College and 8-6 over Misericordia.
 
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Francesca Varela-Seri (Wilkes / So. / Stewartsville, N.J.) led Wilkes to an 8-1 win over Scranton. She defeated Natasha DeNunzio, 6-1, 7-5, in No. 2 singles play. Varela-Seri teamed with Laura Zielinski for an 8-5 win in doubles action.
 
 
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL (#MACvb)
 
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Katie Leftridge (Stevenson / So., OH / Felton, Pa.) led the Mustangs to a perfect 4-0 week, including a 3-0 sweep over No. 12 Juniata. Leftridge tallied two double-doubles, 52 kills (4.00 kps), 47 digs (3.62 dps) and hit .417. The sophomore hit .500 with 13 kills, eight digs and two blocks in the 3-0 win over Juniata. Lefrridge had 18 kills (.517) and 13 digs in a 3-1 win over Washington and Lee to finish the tri-match with 31 kills and just two errors. She also had a double-double in a win over Elizabethtown with 12 kills and 14 digs.
 
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Katelyn Shifflett (King’s / Sr., MH / Lancaster, Pa.) led the Monarchs to a 5-0 week with five-straight 3-0 sweeps. The senior hit .421 while recording 55 kills (3.93 kps), 28 digs (2.00 dps), 65 points (5.00 pps), eight blocks and six aces. She began the week with a double-double of 12 kills and 13 digs with four blocks against cross-town rival Wilkes. Shifflett recorded 13 kills and seven digs against Gwynedd Mercy. Against Penn College, She only played two sets and hit .700 with seven kills and no errors. She finished the week with 23 kills, six digs and three aces in sweeps over Pratt and Saint Elizabeth.