ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending April 16, 2023. A total of 21 student-athletes were recognized for performances from April 11 – 16, 2023.
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 OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Noah Griffin (Lebanon Valley / Gr. / Finksburg, Md.) broke a 32-year-old school record and finished 10th overall out of 59 finishers in the 3000 steeplechase at Bucknell with a career-best and AARTFC qualifying time of 9:13.24. He was the fifth-fastest Division III runner in the race. His time is ranked 16th in Division III, third in the Mid-Atlantic Region, fifth in AARTFC, and is the fastest time in the MAC by 34 seconds.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Alex Kristeller (Widener / Sr. / Kingston, Pa.) earns his second conference weekly award this spring. The senior continued to show his strength and dominance in the weight throw this past weekend. Kristeller threw in the elite hammer throw group at the 2023 Larry Ellis Invite hosted by Princeton. His throw of 64.19-meters set a new personal best which currently ranks him first in conference standings by nearly five meters.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Emily Cooney (Widener / Sr. / Flourtown, Pa.) competed this past weekend at the Bison Outdoor Classic hosted by Bucknell. Cooney competed in the 3000-meter steeplechase and set a new Widener school record and personal best as she clocked a 11:22.40. Her time also ranks her first in the conference by almost 40 seconds.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Julia Pena (York / Sr. / Highlands Mills, N.Y.) had York’s top finish of the weekend at Bucknell as she placed third in the pole vault with a height of 3.80m (12’ 5.5”) which matches her outdoor PR and is just 0.01 meters below her overall PR. Pena’s height also moves her into the top-10 nationally this season. Pena also nabbed a top-10 finish in the 100m hurdles as she finished ninth with a time of 14.68 seconds.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL (#MACvb)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Koby Sherman (Stevens / So., OH / Sunnyvale, Calif.) earns his third conference weekly award this season. The sophomore led Stevens to its second-straight MAC title with a 3-2 victory over Messiah. The MAC Championship MVP totaled 16 kills, seven aces and 24.5 points in the title match. Sherman tallied seven kills, two aces and 10.5 points in the Ducks’ semifinal win.
BASEBALL (#MACbaseball)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Andrew Yates (Widener / Sr., IF / Wallingford, Pa.) played in all seven games this past week for the Pride. Out of those games Yates amassed a .350 hitting percentage with 10 RBIs. Of the seven hits three were home runs and the rest were doubles. While on base Yates went 1-for-1 in stolen bases. On the field, he had 12 putouts with a perfect fielding percentage. This week Yates had season highs in doubles and runs scored with two against Lebanon Valley ON THE 14th and six putouts on the 15th against LVC.
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Christian Woodie (Messiah / Sr., P / Bel Air, Md.) tossed 11 innings this week, including a complete-game shutout against the Alvernia Golden Wolves on Sunday afternoon. Woodie allowed just one hit against Alvernia while striking out six and walking one in a seven-innings shutout. The Falcons won that game 9-0, clinching the series victory. Earlier in the week, Woodie threw four innings against the No. 4 Johns Hopkins Blue Jays, allowing just four hits and two runs in a Messiah 4-3 loss. Woodie was non-decisioned in the game.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Jonathan Drews (Delaware Valley / So., LF/DH / East Windsor, N.J.) helped Delaware Valley to a sweep over FDU - Florham this week. Drews had a strong week from the plate, going 10-for-17 (.588) with six RBI’s, five runs, two triples and a double. The sophomore added a walk and three HBP’s which added to his .667 OBP – he has reached base in 28-straight games.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Aiden Murphy (Wilkes / So., P / Mountain Top, Pa.) pitched the Colonels to a 3-1 victory over Stevens Institute of Technology Sunday. The sophomore threw his fourth complete game of the season as he went seven innings, allowing just one run on six hits with one walk and seven strikeouts. He struck out the final batter to seal the win and record his 100th career strikeout in the process.
SOFTBALL (#MACsb)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Nicole Kratz (Lebanon Valley / Fr., IF / Bechtelsville, Pa.) led the Dutchmen to a 3-1 week with a .455 average and 1.091 slugging percentage. The first-year had three extra-base hits including two home runs and knocked in four runs with three runs scored. She began the week with two hits including a double and a run scored in a 4-3 victory over Elizabethtown. The first-year had a huge game at Lycoming on Sunday in a 10-1 victory with two home runs and four RBI. Her first inning three-run shot gave LVC a 4-0 lead and then she hit aa solo shot in the third to make it 6-0.
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Marissa Heuer (Stevenson / Gr., P / Severna Park, Md.) earns her second conference weekly award this season. Heuer threw seven innings and struck out 16 batters in loss to No. 1 Salisbury. Heuer followed that performance by allowing just two hits and recording seven strikeouts in a win over Albright.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Kylie Bryant (DeSales / Sr., C/3B / East Greenville, Pa.) earns her second conference weekly award this season. Bryant also repeats as MAC Freedom Player of the Week. The senior helped DeSales post a 3-3 record last week batting .556 with 10 hits in 18 AB's. She added three runs scored, three doubles, a home run, and three RBIs in the six games.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Alexa McHugh (Misericordia / Sr., P / Pittston, Pa.) earns her third conference weekly award this season. McHugh tossed a complete game against Wilkes, allowing just one hit and no runs while striking out five batters.
MEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Will Harnick (York / Sr., A / Gibsonia, Pa.) repeats as player of the week. Harnick led the Spartan offense in points (11), goals (7) and assists (4) with a pair of man-up goals in a pair of MAC Commonwealth victories over Alvernia and Eastern. Harnick was key in York’s road win at Eastern to hand the Eagles their first conference loss of the season. The senior racked up a season-high tying eight points as he scored five times in the first half, including two on the extra-man unit, and tacked on a key fourth-quarter to help stifle a late surge by Eastern. Harnick reached the 50-goal mark on Saturday and is just seven away from matching his career-high.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Jack Keller (York / Jr., G / Maple Plain, Minn.) posted a .621 save percentage and anchored a Spartan defense that allowed just 6.00 goals per game in conference wins over Alvernia and Eastern. Keller posted a clean sheet with one save in his first-half appearance in York’s 19-1 win over Alvernia last Wednesday. The junior turned a career day on Saturday as York handed Eastern its first conference loss of the year. Keller racked up 17 saves, including five in the fourth quarter, to hold off a late charge by the Eagles. Keller’s 17 saves are the most by a Spartan goalie since 2018.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Matthew Pergola (Stevens / Fr., A / Nutley, N.J.) earns his second conference weekly award this season. Pergola scored 11 goals with four assists to total 15 points in a 2-0 week for No. 20 Stevens. Against Arcadia, Pergola matched a program record with 13 points (9G, 4A) and then in limited action against King's, Pergola scored twice. The Nutley, New Jersey native also picked up six ground balls.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Ryan Leahy (Stevens / Gr., GK / Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) earns his third conference weekly award this season. The goalkeeper totaled 13 saves across a pair of wins for No. 20 Stevens. Against Arcadia, Leahy stopped 11 shots over 45 minutes and then against King's the Fort Lauderdale, Florida native made two saves in eight minutes of action.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Haleigh Lackner (Alvernia / Jr., MF / Harrisburg, Pa.) earns her third conference weekly award this season. The junior scored 10 goals and added an assist in a 1-1 week for Alvernia. In a 14-12 win over Hood over the weekend, Lackner had a career-high eight goals to help Alvernia overcome a four-goal deficit for the 14-12 win. Lackner scored four of Alvernia's final seven goals in the win. Lackner also had two goals and an assist in a setback to York on Wednesday.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Bella Garabo (York / Sr., GK / Hillsdale, N.J.) repeats as MAC defensive player of the week. Garabo helped lead the No. 9 Spartans to a pair of conference victories over Alvernia and Eastern. Garabo posted an impressive .667 save percentage for the week with a staggering 2.00 goals-against average as she allowed just two goals at Alvernia and posted a clean sheet against Eastern.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Lizzy Escudero (FDU - Florham / Sr., A / Bridgewater, N.J.) amassed a total of 23 points on the week to help the Devils go 2-0 on the week. Escudero totaled a season-best 15 points with five goals and ten assists during a 24-4 win at Delaware Valley. She also totaled eight points with four goals and four assists to help lead the Devils to a 15-14 win against Misericordia.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Emily Leiby (Stevens / Jr., MF / Schnecksville, Pa.) led the Ducks with five caused turnovers over a pair of Stevens victories. As a group, the Ducks conceded just 11 shots (five on goal) and allowed just two goals, while registering 18 turnovers and 11 unforced turnovers. Leiby also scored three goals and grabbed six draw controls, while also picking up a ground ball.