ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending April 23, 2023. A total of 20 student-athletes were recognized for performances from April 17 – 23, 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
Samuel Knowles (Widener / So. / Ephrata, Pa.) took to the track this weekend in the 400-meter dash at the Widener Invitational. Knowles took home first place and a new Widener school record after his performance. The 47.07 run by Knowles was a 24-year-old record held by Ray Crooms (1999) and Mike Schmidt (2005). Knowles’ time ranks No. 5 in the nation and No. 1 in the MAC.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Alden Littlefield (Widener / Gr. / Millstone, N.J.) had a solid weekend at the Widener Invitational as the graduate student placed first in the shot put. Littlefield recorded a distance of 53-3, which would top all MAC marks and rank in a tie for No. 13 in NCAA Division III. Littlefield’s season-best distance of 53-9 leads the conference and ranks No. 10 in the nation.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Lauren Bunke (Lebanon Valley / Gr. / Bethlehem, Pa.) ran two career-best times at the Widener Invitational this weekend. The graduate student ran the second-fastest 800 time in the conference this year crossing the line in 2:16.61. Her time is the best in the Mid-Atlantic Region and 14th in the AARTFC. It is also second in the school record book behind former National Champion Cynthia Adams. Bunke then finished second in the 1500 meters with a time of 4:37.38 which leads the conference, is second in the region, and eighth in the AARTFC. Her time is third in the school's record book.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Shinelle Felix (Alvernia / Jr. / Reading, Pa.) took first in both the triple and long jump at Widener over the weekend. Felix broke the triple jump record with a first-place jump of 12.07 meters, which tops the MAC and ranks No. 6 in NCAA Division III. She also took first place in the long jump with a mark of 5.70m, which is just short of her season-best mark of 5.71m that leads the MAC and sits at No. 10 in the nation.
BASEBALL (#MACbaseball)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Logan Brewer (Lebanon Valley / So., 1B / Biglerville, Pa.) led the Dutchmen to a big series win over York in a rematch of the past two conference championship series to clinch a berth in the conference tournament with seven hits including a double and two home runs. He was 8-14 for a .571 average in a 2-2 week for the Dutchmen with five RBI and four runs scored. In a big 15-1 win at York to begin the weekend, Brewer went 3-5 with two runs scored. He went 2-3 with a second inning two-run home run in a 2-1 game one victory on Saturday. He added a double later in the game. He finished the weekend with another second inning home run in game two and went 2-3 with three RBI in a game York won 6-4 after the game was called due to weather at the end of five innings.
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Tommy Moore Jr. (Lebanon Valley / Sr., P / Trappe, Pa.) shut down York with eight strong innings in a 15-1 victory over the Spartans in York on Friday in the first game of the weekend series. Moore struck out six and scattered six hits with one walk. The senior held the Spartans scoreless until the eighth inning when York scored an unearned run.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Garrett McIlhenney (Misericordia / Sr., OF / Forest Hill, Md.) hit .727 (8-11) with an .823 on-base percentage, nine runs scored, eight stolen bases and a pair of RBI’s in a 4-0 week. Was 3-4 with two runs in a 9-3 win over Wilkes. Was 2-3 in a 13-3 win over FDU-Florham. Was 2-3 with 2 runs in a 12-2 win over FDU-Florham. Was 1-1 with 2 runs in a 6-0 win over FDU-Florham. Reached base in his first plate appearance in all four games.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Steve Rinda (Misericordia / So., P / Stowe, Pa.) struck out eight in a three-hit, 6-0 win against FDU – Florham.
SOFTBALL (#MACsb)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Sam Burns (Lebanon Valley / Jr., IF / Harrisburg, Pa.) led the Dutchmen to a 7-1 week including a 4-0 conference record to clinch a spot in the conference tournament. The junior hit .483 with 14 hits including three doubles and two triples. The leadoff hitter scored 11 runs and knocked in five with six stolen bases. She had at least one hit in every game and had five multi-hit games during the week. Her best game was in a 7-4 game two victory over Scranton where she was 3-3 with three runs scored and two RBI. The junior had two triples and scored two runs in a 10-0 game one victory at Albright.
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Jordan Walter (Lebanon Valley / Jr., P / Lebanon, Pa.) was 4-0 with a 0.85 ERA in 24.2 innings of work spanning five appearances in the circle this week. The junior struck out 27 including recording the 200th strikeout of her career. Walter allowed just three runs on 11 hits during the week. She was 2-0 in both conference games she pitched with a complete game victory in a 4-2 win over Eastern with six strikeouts and eight strikeouts in a one-hit five inning 8-0 victory at Albright.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Morgan Wetzel (Lycoming / Sr., OF / Mill Hall, Pa.) set Lycoming's single-season and career doubles records while hitting .591 (13-for-22) during a week where the team went 3-1 in MAC Freedom play to clinch a postseason appearance for the first time since 2011. Wetzel scored five runs, hit five doubles, a homer and drove in seven, while posting a .955 slugging percentage. The senior had six straight hits during sweep of Wilkes, adding a double and a homer, driving in six and scoring twice in the doubleheader. She then went 5-of-8 with three runs and three doubles in twinbill against Susquehanna. She recorded a two-hit game with her record-setting 33rd career and 13th double of the year and RBI against third-place King's, driving in game-winning run with eighth-inning single in 1-0 win over Monarchs. Wetzel moved into the top-five in single season in hits (44) and total bases (71), while her 27 runs and four homers are seventh in program history. She also broke program's career total bases record with the double against King's and became second player in Lycoming history to reach 125 career hits.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Ciara Hoffman (FDU - Florham / Gr., P / Freehold, N.J.) pitched three games and earned three wins inside the circle during the Devils 4-2 week. She threw a total of 21 strikeouts during those games including a season-high 13 strikeouts in its 4-0 win against Delaware Valley. She also only allowed two runs during those three games played.
MEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Robbie Wiley (Hood / So., MF / York, Pa.) scored nine goals and one assist to total 10 points in wins over Lebanon Valley and Albright. Wiley also caused two turnovers and scooped up six ground balls.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Jack Keller (York / Jr., GK / Maple Plain, Minn.) surrendered just five goals in 51 minutes of work to help lead York to a pair of conference victories. After just 15 minutes of action in Wednesday’s win at Albright, Keller racked up seven saves and allowed just three goals on 17 total shots faced in 36 minutes against Lebanon Valley. He and the Spartans limited LVC to their lowest goal total of the season (5) and played a role in York’s third-quarter shutout of the Dutchmen.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Robert Wagner (Misericordia / Gr., MF / Mullica Hill, N.J.) recorded 14 points on six goals and eight assists in a 2-0 week as the Cougars clinched a postseason berth. The graduate student had three goals and four assists to reach the 300-career-point mark in a 20-7 win at Wilkes. Wagner tallied three goals and four assists in an 18-7 win over Del Val to clinch the postseason berth.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Quinten Lyons (DeSales / Jr., GK / York, Pa.) allowed just two goals and made eight saves in two games last week helping DSU post a 2-0 record. He played just the first-half in each game allowing just two goals over those two games and making eight saves.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Kiersten Blanchard (York / Sr., A / Pasadena, Md.) led the No. 9 Spartans in points (9), goals (6) and draw controls (21) in a 2-0 week against conference opponents. Blanchard scored a hat trick to help fuel York’s 14-1 first-half onslaught against Albright and led all players in the game with seven draw controls. The senior doubled her draw control number to 14 in Saturday’s win at LVC, which tied the program’s single-game record. Blanchard also registered three points in York’s massive 12-goal first quarter effort and had five at halftime as the Spartans led the Dutchmen, 17-2. She also became just the third player in program history to record over 200 draw controls for her career (206).
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Bella Garabo (York / Sr., GK / Hillsdale, N.J.) earns her fourth conference weekly award this spring. The senior backstopped a Spartan defense that held opponents to single-digits for the eighth and ninth times this season in wins over Albright and Lebanon Valley. In Wednesday's win over Albright, Garabo blanked the Lions in the second with four saves, including one on a free-position shot, as she faced a total of five shots in the quarter. On Saturday, the senior goalie limited the Dutchmen to just two first-half goals as LVC put four of their five total shots on target. For the week, Garabo produced a 3.00 goals-against average and a .700 save percentage in 60 minutes of work.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Marina Bradley (DeSales / Sr., A / Arnold, Md.) helped DSU post a 2-1 record scoring 17 goals and adding three assists in the three games. Bradley began the week with seven goals in a win over Delaware Valley. She then had four goals and an assist in a 13-12 loss at FDU-Florham before exploding for six goals and two helpers in the win over King's.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Madelyn Uetz (Misericordia / Sr., GK / Hainesport, N.J.) had 14 saves and 2.5 goals against average in her two starts in goal in a 2-0 week. Uetz made 10 saves in an 18-2 win over Wilkes and added four saves in a 21-3 win at Delaware Valley.