ANNVILLE, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending May 7, 2023. A total of 14 student-athletes were recognized for performances from May 1-7, 2023.
BASEBALL (#MACbaseball)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Conor Smith (Lebanon Valley. / Sr., 2B / Audubon, Pa.) had a career day to lead the Dutchmen to a big 8-2 win over York in the first game of the semifinal series. The senior went 3-for-4 with two home runs and five RBI. His first home run, a solo shot to right-center in the fourth, gave LVC a 3-2 lead. He then hit a grand slam in the fifth to make it 8-2. The senior finished a 4-0 week for the Dutchmen including a sweep of Alvernia for the regular season championship with a .333 average with four hits including one triple and a home run. In the field, the second baseman made six putouts and seven assists on 14 chances while being a part of four double plays.
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Tommy Moore, Jr. (Lebanon Valley / Sr., P / Trappe, Pa.) improved to 7-0 on the season with seven strikeouts in seven innings of work in an 8-2 victory over York in game one of the semifinal series. The senior shut down the Spartans for the second time this season giving up just two runs on five hits with one walk. Moore struck out the side in the fifth and seventh innings.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Brock Bollinger (Misericordia / So., C / Lehighton, Pa.) went 8-for-14 at the plate with five RBIs, three runs scored and three doubles to lead the Cougars to a 2-2 week, including a MAC Freedom Semifinal Sweep of DeSales. In the semifinal, he Hit .625 (5-8) with two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored in a sweep of DeSales in MAC Freedom semifinal series. Was 2-4 with an RBI and a run scored in a 4-3 win in the opener. Went 3-4 with two doubles, two RBI and a run in a 13-5 win in the finale.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Carson Denham (Arcadia / Sr., P / Cape May Court House, N.J.) threw a complete nine-inning game in the Knights' game one win over Stevens in the MAC Freedom semifinal. He struck out nine while only allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. The win was his conference-leading sixth of the season.
SOFTBALL (#MACsb)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Amanda Criss (York / Gr., P / Bel Air, Md.) led the Spartans to the 2023 MAC Commonwealth Title and earned Championship MVP honors. Criss earned a pair of wins in the championship series to upset the top-seeded Lebanon Valley Flying Dutchmen to earn the crown. Criss pitched the final 14 innings of the tournament. She finished the tournament with four wins and 27.2 innings of work.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Alexa McHugh (Misericordia / Sr., P / Pittston, Pa.) earns her fourth conference weekly award of the season after leading the Cougars to the 2023 MAC Freedom Championship and being named the Championship MVP. McHugh earned two wins and pitched 14.2 innings. She struck out 10 batters and allowed just one unearned run.
MEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Ames Clark (York / Gr., A / Collierville, Tenn.) was named the MAC Commonwealth Championship MVP after leading the Spartans to the third-straight conference title. Clark scored a goal and added an assist in York’s semifinal win over Widener.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Nicolas Accardo (Stevens / So., M / Syosset, N.Y.) was named the MAC Freedom Championship MVP after leading the Ducks to their third-straight conference title. Accardo finished the tournament with three goals, three assists and eight ground balls. He had one goal and three assists to go with four ground balls in the title game.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Bella Garabo (York / Sr., GK / Hillsdale, N.J.) earns her seventh conference weekly award of the season after leading the Spartans to the 2023 MAC Commonwealth title and earning Championship MVP honors. Garabo finished the week with 18 saves, including 12 saves in the 10-7 title-game victory over Messiah.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Camryn Rogers (Stevens / Gr., A-M / Branchburg, N.J.) earns her second conference weekly award of the season. Rogers was named the MAC Freedom Championship MVP after leading the Ducks to the title. She finished the tournament with nine goals and one assist. Rogers scored six of her nine goals in the semifinal win over Lycoming.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Noah Griffin (Lebanon Valley / Gr. / Finksburg, Md.) earns his second conference weekly award of the season). Griffin won gold in the 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:28.30) and the 10,000-meter run (31:13.81). He finished runner-up in the 5,000-meter run (15:05.64).
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Nathan Williams (Stevenson / Jr. / Mechanicville, Md.) earns his second conference weekly award of the season. Williams was named the 2023 MAC Field Athlete of the Year. He finished runner-up in both the shot put (15.81m) and discus throw (50.42m), while finishing fourth in the hammer throw (56.83m).
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Laura Mathews (Stevens / Jr. / Denville, N.J.) earns her third conference weekly award of the season. Mathews was named the 2023 MAC Track Athlete of the Year after winning gold medals at the MAC Championships in the 100-meter dash (11.79 seconds), 110-meter hurdles (13.98 seconds) and the 200-meter dash (24.42 seconds). All three times set a new MAC Championship record. Mathews had originally broken each of the previous records in the preliminary races before resetting them again in the finals.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Julia Pena (York / Sr. / Highlands Mills, Md.) earns her second conference weekly award of the season. Penna was named the 2023 MAC Field Athlete of the Year after winning gold in the pole vault (3.85m) and the Long Jump (5.84m). Her long jump is a new MAC Championship record. Pena also finished second in the 100-meter hurdles. She had broken the MAC Championship record in the prelims with a time of 14.09 seconds before Laura Mathews broke it in the finals.