ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending March 20, 2022. A total of 18 student-athletes were recognized for performances from March 14 - 20, 2022.
During the spring season golf and tennis weekly awards will be announced on Tuesdays following any competition that occurs during the spring segment of their seasons.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL (#MACvb)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Mason Nissley (Messiah / Jr., OH / Manheim, Pa) earns his second conference weekly award of the season. Nissley helped Messiah to two conference wins last week. The outside hitter finished the week with 38 kills and a .492 hitting percentage and added seven service aces. Against Widener, he had 14 kills for a .737 hitting percentage with one assist and five service aces totalling 20 points. Against Alvernia, he had 24 kills with one assist and two service aces.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Elliot De La Torre (Stevenson / Jr., MB / Lancaster, Pa.) led the Mustangs defensively in all four matches this week with 19 blocks on the week with 14 assists and five solo for a 1.36 block-per-set average. In their first game against Alvernia, De La Torre had two solo blocks with four assisted blocks. In their match against Widner, he had two solo blocks with one assisted block and added four assisted blocks against Stevens.
BASEBALL (#MACBaseball)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Matt Samson (Widener / Sr., OF / Coatesville, Pa.) batted 5-for-8 for a .625 average on the week for Widener. In the Pride’s first game against Ursinus, Samson went 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored, and two RBIs. Samson went 2-for-4 adding a solo home run against Haverford.
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Zach Reed (York / Jr., RHP / Hanover, Pa.) appeared in one game for the Spartans with a win over No. 16 Shenandoah. Reed threw eight innings allowing only two earned runs on eight hits and two walks with five strikeouts. This marks York’s first win over the Hornets in nine meetings dating back to May 14, 2009.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Tommy Moore (FDU-Florham / Sr., INF / Mansfield, N.J.) led the Devils to a three-game sweep over Delaware Valley to open up MAC Freedom play. Moore went 8-for-11 batting .727 with three home runs, nine RBIs, seven runs scored, and added a pair of walks. In game one, he went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and two runs scored. In game two of the double header, the senior third baseman went 3-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. In the series finale with the Aggies, Moore went 3-for-6 with a series best of two home runs, five RBIs, and three runs scored.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Will Manley (DeSales / Sr., RHP / Middletown, Pa.) pitched 5 ? scoreless innings in DeSales’ extra inning win over Stevens. Manley entered a tied game in relief of teammate Will Shelden in the bottom of the seventh inning. He allowed just one hit and struck out five while the Bulldogs’ offense manufactured a run to secure the 5-4 win in the 12th inning.
SOFTBALL (#MACsb)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Julia Craig (Lebanon Valley / So., INF / Chino Hills, Calif.) led LVC to a 4-0 week with doubleheader sweeps over Gettysburg and Albright. Gettysburg was just one spot outside the NFCA Top 25 poll this week receiving votes. Against the Bullets, Craig went 2-for-4 in game one and 1-for-3 in game two with two doubles, one run scored and four RBIs. The sophomore first basemen went 2-for-3 in game two of their conference opener versus Albright with a triple, two runs scored and two RBIs.
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Marissa Heuer (Stevenson / Sr., RHP / Severna Park, Md.) went 3-0 on the week throwing three complete games for the Mustangs. Heuer’s best game of the week came in her shutout win over Eastern pitching the first no-hitter of her career, adding five strikeouts and no walks. The senior pitcher also earned her first career save against Stevenson in game two of the doubleheader. In 20.1 innings of work, Heuer struck out 19, walked two, and allowed just three runs to hold her opponents batting average to .197.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Nathalia Diianni (Arcadia / Fy., OF / Livingston, N.J.) went 7-for-11 with three extra base hits and eight RBIs in Arcadia’s 4-0 week, including an upset over No. 14 TCNJ and a conference sweep over King’s. Diianni’s best offensive game of the week came against TCNJ going 3-for-4 with a double, a triple, two runs scored, and three RBIs. She went 1-for-1 against Springfield with an RBI. In their conference sweep over King’s, Diianni went 2-for-4 and 1-for-2 with four RBIs, one run scored, and a sacrifice fly.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Erin Kreis (Stevens / Jr., RHP / Catonsville, Md.) pitched a gem against Mount Saint Vincent to record just the fourth no-hitter in program history. In five complete innings, Kreis faced 18 batters, striking out nine and walking only two to secure her first win of the season on the mound.
MEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Will Harnick (York / Jr., A / Gibsonia, Pa.) led a Spartan offense to two wins at the Mustang Classic over the weekend, including a victory over previously unbeaten No. 8 Franklin & Marshall. Harnick led the team in points with 13 and goals with nine. Against Franklin & Marshall, the junior attack tied his career-high scoring six goals, with four in the first half. He added three goals and two assists in their win over Bates.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Ryan Kennedy (York / Gr., D / Arnold, Md.) helped the Spartans to a 2-0 week on the defensive end. Kennedy paced the Spartans with five caused turnovers and finished second on the team in ground balls with 12. He had a big game against No. 8 Franklin & Marshall picking up a career-high seven ground balls and added four caused turnovers. Kennedy’s defense held Franklin & Marshall’s offense to their lowest scoring outing of the season in the 18-7 win. The senior attack added five more ground balls and a caused turnover in York’s 19-8 victory over Bates.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Robert Wagner (Misericordia / Sr., M / Mullica Hill, N.J.) earns his second consecutive conference weekly honor of the season. Wagner led Misericordia to a 1-1 week with three goals and 10 assists. The senior midfielder had two goals and four assists in a close 18-16 loss to Montclair. Wagner added a goal and six assists in the Cougars’ 16-8 win over Lebanon Valley.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Ryan Lasher (Wilkes / Sr., G / Warrenton, Va.) earns his second conference weekly honor of the season. Lashera anchored the Colonels defense in a 15-7 victory over Manahatanville. He recorded 12 saves and allowed just six goals for a save percentage of .667. The senior goalkeeper also picked up six ground balls in the victory.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Laura Skorobatsch (Hood / Sr., A / Pasadena, Md.) led the Blazers to a 2-0 week totalling 11 draw controls, nine goals, and a pair of assists for 11 points. Skorobatsch had five goals, an assist and three draw controls in their win over Goucher. She added four goals, an assist and eight draw controls against Gwynedd for their second win of the week. The senior attack hit a career milestone of 100 points against Goucher.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Julia Abendschoen (Lebanon Valley / Jr., G / Chester, Md.) earns her second consecutive conference weekly honor of the season. Abendschoen made eight saves in goal in the Dutchmen's lone game of the week against Elizabethtown. The junior allowed one goal in the first, two in the second, two in the third and held the Blue Jays to none in the fourth. Abendschoen added a caused turnover and picked up two ground balls.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Camryn Rogers (Stevens / Sr., M / Branchburg, N.J.) earns her second conference weekly award of the season. Rogers finished the week with 10 goals and two assists as the Ducks defeated Montclair State and Cabrini to move to 7-0 on the season. She scored two goals with one assist and two draw controls in their win over Montclair State. Against Cabrini, the senior midfielder scored eight goals with one assist and 10 draw controls.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Emily Griffith (Arcadia / So., G / Easton, Md.) earns her second conference weekly honor of the season. Griffith helped Arcadia to a 1-1 week in goal making 22 saves. She stopped eight shots in the Knights’ 10-5 win over Bryn Mawr. The sophomore goalkeeper added 16 saves in their loss to Swarthmore. Griffith also picked up eight ground balls in the two games played.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Brenden Avery (King's / Jr. / Queens Village) qualified for the MAC Outdoor Championship with a mark of 11.64 seconds in the 100m dash over the weekend at the Monarch Invitational. Avery currently holds the fourth fastest 100m dash time in the MAC.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Justin Le Cadre (King's / Sr. / Scranton, Pa.) recorded two first-place finishes in the discus and hammer throw at the Monarch Invitational over the weekend. In the discus, Le Cadre set a new facility record, breaking his own from 2019, with a throw of 42.80m. His throw is currently 17th in the NCAA Division III at this time. Le Cadre also finished first in the hammer throw with a toss of 48.76m, currently ranking 13th in the NCAA Division III. Both first place finishes qualified the senior for the MAC Outdoor Championships.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Sarah Wagner (Misericordia / Fy. / Ashland, Pa.) won two events at the Monarch Invitational to open up the 2022 outdoor season. Wagner took first in the 100m dash with a mark of 12.82 seconds, holding the second fastest time in the MAC to date. The first year also took first in the 200m with a mark of 26.28 seconds, holding the fastest time in the MAC to date.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Isabelle Meckes (DeSales / Jr. / Leighton, Pa.) took first place in the discus at the Washington & Lee Invitational over the weekend. Meckes now holds the school record and currently has the No. 1 ranked throw in the country with a mark of 42.74m.