ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending Sept. 25, 2022. A total of 21 student-athletes were recognized for performances from Sept. 19-25, 2022.
During the fall season golf and tennis weekly awards will be announced on Tuesdays following any competition that occurs during the fall segment of their seasons.
CROSS COUNTRY (#MACxc)
MAC Men’s Runner of the Week
Logan Horst (Messiah / Sr. / Rising Sun, Md.) earns his second conference weekly award of the season. Horst was the top finisher for the Falcons at the Lock Haven Invite in the Crimson Run. He crossed the finish line with a time of 24:49.3, finishing as the second Division III runner in a field of 290 runners. Overall, Horst finished 11th as Messiah finished fourth among 34 teams.
MAC Women’s Runner of the Week
Cera Gaston (Alvernia / Gr. / Leighton, Pa.) earns her second conference weekly award of the season. Gaston finished in tenth place in a field of 285 runners and second among Division III leading Alvernia at the Lock Haven Invitational. She set a new program record with a 6,000-meter time of 21:50.8, and also a personal best, bettering her previous time by over a minute and 30 seconds.
FIELD HOCKEY (#MACfh)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Juliana Sanchez (Widener / So., F / Stroudsburg, Pa.) recorded her first career hat trick while helping Widener to a 2-0 week against Immaculata and Stevenson. Sanchez scored all three goals for the Pride in their 3-0 win over Stevenson.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Lilly Rejrat (Widener / Fy., G / Nicholson, Pa.) did not allow a goal in 90 minutes of action in the cage to help Widener secure two wins over Immaculata and Stevenson. Rejrat earned the shutout over Stevenson on Saturday making four saves in the 3-0 win.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Dominique Rodriguez (FDU-Florham / So., F / Pittsgrove, N.J.) led the Devils to a 2-0 week with two goals and an assist in victories over Sage and Delaware Valley. Rodriguez registered one goal against Sage on Wednesday and followed with a goal and an assist in a crucial MAC Freedom win over Delaware Valley.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Ellie Glatz (King’s / Jr., G / Exeter, Pa.) led King’s to a 3-0 week. Glatz recorded eight saves allowing just one goal for an .889 save percentage and 0.33 goals against average. The junior goalkeeper started the week with a 3-1 win at Keystone, recording three saves, before posting back-to-back shutouts over Cedar Crest and Lycoming.
FOOTBALL (#MACfb)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Braden Bohannon (Lebanon Valley / So., QB / Myerstown, Pa.) was responsible for all three touchdowns and 272 yards of total offense in a 24-19 victory over Wilkes on Saturday. The sophomore completed 17 of 26 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. On the ground, he rushed for a team-high 99 yards on 23 carries with one rushing touchdown. Bohannon’s one-yard touchdown in the third quarter gave the Dutchmen the 21-12 lead over the Colonels.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Joey Rivituso (Lycoming / So., LB / Easton, Pa.) had three turnovers, three tackles, two fumble recoveries and an interception in Lycoming’s 45-0 win over Albright. Rivituso’s interception in the first quarter setup Lycoming’s first touchdown of the game. He recovered the first fumble after forcing the fumble of a punt, putting the ball on Albright’s 25 to set up another score. The sophomore linebacker added a fumble recovery after a sack that he picked up for a 28-yard touchdown return in the third quarter.
MAC Special Teams Player of the Week
Gary DeGroat (Lycoming / Jr., LB / Mifflinburg, Pa.) blocked a punt and returned it for 29 yards for a touchdown in Lycoming’s 45-0 win over Albright.
MEN’S SOCCER (#MACsoc)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Connor Kraycik (Alvernia / Fy., F / Media, Pa.) had two goals and an assist in a 3-0 week for Alvernia. Kraycik assisted a goal by Ryan Cogill in a 1-0 win over Rutgers-Camden, then scored two of Alvernia’s three goals in a 3-1 win over Susquehanna.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Evan Solley (Alvernia / So., G / Reading, Pa.) allowed just one goal while making 17 saves in a 3-0 week for the Golden Wolves. Solley made five saves in a 1-0 shutout win over Rutgers-Camden, then followed that with another five saves in a 3-1 win over Susquehanna. The sophomore goalie capped the week with one of his most impressive outings of the season, making seven saves against No. 16 Montclair State in the 1-0 win, recording his fifth shutout of the year.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Kevin Krall (DeSales / Fy., F / Bordentown, N.J.) helped DeSales to a 2-0 record last week giving the Bulldogs five straight wins with two goals and an assist. Krall scored on goal in the 2-1 win over Keystone and added a goal and an assist in the 6-0 win over Gwynedd-Mercy.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Jake Forst (King’s / Jr., G / East Windsor, N.J.) was essential for the Monarchs in the goal this week making eight saves in two games. Against Ursinus, Forst tallied five saves on six shots, including a crucial save in the dying minutes to secure the draw. Later, Forst guided the Monarchs to another 1-1 draw at Cabrini recording a career-high eight saves on nine shots, including a game-saving stop in the final minutes to secure the draw.
WOMEN’S SOCCER (#MACsoc)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Priya Nair (Hood / So., F / Falls Church, Pa.) started the week breaking up a 0-0 tie score by netting the winning goal against Marymount (Va.) on wednesday. Nair followed her performance on Saturday when she assisted Sara Fresnley with the game-tying goal in the 76th minute against Wilkes.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Jacqueline Keogh (York / Sr., G / Toms River, N.J.) earns her second consecutive conference weekly award of the season. Keogh led the Spartans to a 1-0-1 week including a shutout win over No. 24 Rochester on Saturday. The senior goalie had a career-high seven saves in the win including a huge stop with 1:30 left to go. Earlier in the week, Keogh made five saves in a 2-2 tie with DeSales.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Francesca Escudero (FDU-Florham / Sr., M / Bridgewater, N.J.) guided the Devils to a 2-0 week. Escudero, who tallied two goals on the week, registered the game-winning goal on Wednesday at Rutgers-Newark and added a free kick goal from the top of the box on Saturday against Stevenson.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Erica Blackburn (FDU-Florham / Sr., G / Marlboro, N.J.) earns her third conference weekly award of the season. Blackburn registered two shutouts in a 2-0 week for FDU-Florham. The senior goalkeeper made nine saves in the 2-0 win at Rutgers-Newark on Wednesday and added two more saves on Saturday in the 3-0 victory over Stevenson. Blackburn currently ranks second in Division III for complete-game shutouts with six this season.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL (#MACvb)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Ali Whitworth (Lebanon Valley / Jr., S / Skyesville, Md.) led the Dutchmen to a 4-1 week recording 159 assists, nine service aces, 13 kills, 41 digs and four block assists. Whitworth recorded four 30-plus assists of Lebanon Valley’s five matches. The senior setter’s best performance of the week came against Salisbury where she had 31 assists, 15 digs, three kills, and four aces, while recording her 1000th career assist.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Maddy Eby (Messiah / Jr, L / Ephrata, Pa.) was a key factor in her defensive efforts in three wins for the Falcons. In three games, Eby recorded 47 digs, leading the team in the category. She was also able to tack on seven service aces.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Fiona Pyfer (Misericordia / Sr., OH / West Chester, Pa.) led the Cougars to a 4-0 weeks with wins over Neumann, Wilkes, Marywood and Moravian. Pyfer hit .353 with 58 kills averaging 3.8 kills per set. Pyfer recorded double digit kills in three of their four matches recording 61.0 points. The senior outside hitter added 36 digs for the Cougars.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
McKenzie Brady (DeSales / Sr., L / Falls Church, Va.) had an incredible defensive week for the Bulldogs. In five matches, Brady averaged 5.29 digs per set totalling 90 on the week, including a season-high 30 digs in their win over FDU-Florham.