NEWTOWN, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending November 10, 2024. A total of 18 student-athletes were recognized for performances from Nov. 4, 2024 to Nov. 10, 2024.
MEN’S BASKETBALL (#MAChoops)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Elijah Hamilton (Alvernia / Fy., F / Atglen, Pa.) averaged a double-double for Alvernia in its opening week of action to lead Alvernia to two wins. Hamilton averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds while shooting .680 from the floor. In an 89-71 win over Juniata on Friday, Hamilton finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds. He shot 7-for-10 from the floor and 8-for-11 at the free throw line. Hamilton also had two blocks and four assists. In an 86-70 win over PSU Mont Alto on Sunday, Hamilton finished with 26 points in 27 minutes of action. He shot 10-for-15 from the floor and 4-for-5 from the line. Hamilton also had ten rebounds on the afternoon.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Evin Timochenko (Lebanon Valley / Sr., F / West Lawn, Pa.) had a huge career-high double-double of 33 points and 19 rebounds to lead the Dutchmen to an 85-82 victory at Cairn in the season opener on Saturday. He was 16-23 from the field and 1-2 at the line to score his career-high 33 points. The forward grabbed five offensive and 14 defensive rebounds for his career-high 19. Timochenko had the most rebounds in the conference this weekend and the second-most points. His 19 rebounds per game and 14 defensive rebounds per game are both second in the nation while his 33 points per game is eighth.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (#MAChoops)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Mia Robbins (Widener / Jr., P / Voorhees, N.J.) helped the team to a 1-1 weekend at Elizabethtown's Yonnie Kauffman Blue Jay Tournament. In a loss against RV Ohio Wesleyan, Robbins would put up five points and seven rebounds. In a 66-61 win over Marymount, Va., Robbins would lead the Pride offense with a career-high 29 points in her 35 minutes of play. Robbins also recorded a double-double with one leg being her career high and the other being her 12 rebounds (four offensive/eight defensive). The Voorhees, N.J. native also dished two assists and created a steal.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Alexis Wright (Delaware Valley / Jr., F / Berne, N.Y.) recorded a team-high 20 points and 15 rebounds in the Aggies' season-opening win over Lancaster Bible. Notched six offensive boards and nine total defensive boards. Shot 60% (9-of-15) from the field and 2-of-5 from the charity stripe while adding three assists.
FOOTBALL (#MACfb)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Nyaire Wilson (Stevenson / Sr., QB / Wilmington, Del.) threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns as Stevenson defeated Misericordia, 56-17, to remain alive for a possible postseason bowl game. Tossed TD passes of 8, 17, 23 and 12 in the rout.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Jalen Walker (Widener / Sr., DL / Mount Laurel, N.J.) helped the Pride to a 10-7 win over FDU-Florham. The Mount Laurel, N.J. native led the defense to hold the top ranked Devils offense to only a touchdown while making seven solo tackles, four tackles for a loss, and three sacks. Walker currently leads the MAC in sacks with 14 overall for 80 yards and averages 1.56 per game.
MAC Special Teams Player of the Week
Tim Kissinger (Lebanon Valley / Sr., K / Mechanicsburg, Pa.) scored 11 of LVC's 23 points with three made field goals and two extra points in a 23-10 victory at Alvernia on Saturday. The kicker was 3-4 on field goal attempts making a 39-yarder and 30-yarder in the second quarter for the first two scores of the game. He added a 38-yard make in the fourth to set the final score. Kissinger missed a 33-yard attempt right before halftime. The senior also had four kickoffs for 207 yards, averaging 51.8 yards with one touchback.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY (#MAChky)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Aiden Lindley (Stevenson / Fy., F / Carmel, Ind.) is coming off of a two-goal, four point weekend in the MAC-opening series against Alvernia. In Stevenson's 3-0 win on Saturday, Lindley scored the Mustangs' first goal before assisting on Stevenson's two consequent goals. Lindley would go on to score the first goal for the Mustangs on Sunday as well. With his performance this weekend, Lindley is tied for the team lead in both goals (2) and points (5).
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Cole DeFazio (Neumann / Jr., G / Oakville, Ontario) went 1-0-1 in MAC action. In a 3-1 win at Lebanon Valley, the junior made 27 saves. He followed with 25 saves in a 2-2 tie (1-0 shootout loss) in game two at Lebanon Valley. DeFazio had a 1.44 goals-against-average with 52 total saves and a .945 save percentage.
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY (#MAChky)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Anna Dale (Lebanon Valley / So., F / Juneau, Alaska) had a huge first week of the season with seven points on five goals, including two game-winning goals, and two assists in three wins. The sophomore started the year with a goal and two assists in a 5-4 victory over Chatham on Tuesday. Dale tied the game at two with her first goal of the year early in the second period and then assisted on LVC's last two goals in the period to take a 5-2 lead over the Cougars. Dale then scored four goals in a weekend sweep at Neumann. She scored two goals in each game, including the game-winning first goal of the games. Dale scored the first and third goals of a 5-0 victory on Friday and then the first and third goals of a 4-0 victory on Saturday. Her final goal of the weekend was a short-handed goal.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Lacy Bigelow (Lebanon Valley / So., G / St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador) made 20 saves in a 4-0 shutout at Neumann on Saturday to wrap up a 3-0 week for the Dutchmen in her only action of the week. The sophomore made eight saves in the first period, three in the second, and nine in the third period as LVC outshot the Knights 50-20.
MEN’S SWIMMING (#MACswim)
MAC Swimmer of the Week
Zachary Clark (Stevenson / Jr. / Bel Air, Md.) picked up three first-place finishes in Stevenson's tri-meet win over host Wilkes and King's by scores of (121-112) and (174-60). The Mustangs overcame a 15-point deficit to defeat Wilkes, Clark picked up his first win of the day in the 100 Breast where he touched the wall in 1:06.55. Clark would also pick up victories in the 100 Free (50.92) and 500 Free (5:25.65).
WOMEN’S SWIMMING (#MACswim)
MAC Swimmer of the Week
Cali White (Misericordia / So. / Montgomery, N.Y.) won two individual events and two relays in a 132-130 win over Scranton. Set a pool record in the 200 free (1:59.40) and won the 100 free (54.64) – both times are tops in the MAC this season. She was part of two winning relays, including the 200 free relay that clinched the win. Was part of the winning 400 medley relay to open the meet.
WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL (#MACvb)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Bridgette Kelly (Eastern / Sr., MH / Coatesville, Pa.) put together another strong week of offense in Eastern's final two games of the regular season. The senior middle hitter recorded 21 kills, four service aces, and 11 total blocks. On Tuesday against Messiah, Kelly finished with a season-high seven total blocks to go along with 12 kills and a .282 hitting percentage. In Eastern's three-set sweep of Rowan on Friday, she recorded nine kills, three service aces, and another four blocks. Kelly ended the regular season ranked first on the Eagles in service aces (44), solo blocks (19), and total blocks (67), and second in hitting percentage (.336).
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Grace Casagrande (Eastern / Gr., L / Coatesville, Pa.) wrapped up Eastern's regular season with another strong week of play on the Eagles' back line. The graduate libero finished the week with 59 digs, nine assists, and three service aces. Against Messiah on Tuesday, Casagrande recorded 38 digs, the second-highest output of her collegiate career, along with six assists and three service aces. In Eastern's sweep of Rowan on Friday, she recorded 21 more digs to go along with three assists. Casagrande ended the regular season ranked first on the Eagles in digs (490) and digs per set (5.51).
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Cassandra Genduso (Misericordia / So., H / King’s Park, N.Y.) hit .412 with 39 kills and eight aces in a 2-1 week, including a win over Lebanon Valley to clinch MAC Freedom third seed. Hit .450 with 13 kills and three aces in a 3-1 win over Lebanon Valley. Had 19 kills and five aces in a 3-2 win over Moravian in the regular season finale.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Keira McCaffrey (Misericordia / Fy., MH / Mineola, N.Y.) had 14 blocks in a 2-1 week. Had eight blocks in a 3-1 win over Lebanon Valley to clinch the MAC Freedom third seed. Had two blocks in a 3-0 loss at Montclair. Added four blocks in a 3-2 win over Moravian.
WRESTLING (#MACwrestle)
Wrestler of the Week
Josh Stahl (York / Sr. / Quakertown, Pa.) had another great week as he remained unbeaten with another individual championship. Stahl won the 174 pound weight class at the Racich Rumble on Saturday at Ursinus. Stahl began the week with a 16-0 tech fall in the annual outside match at Millersville. Stahl beat Mitch Bivona thanks to three takedowns and six near fall points in a dominant performance from start to the finish. Stahl collected his second tournament title of the season and kept his unblemished record intact at 11-0 as he placed first at 174 lbs. Stahl steamrolled his competition as he scored bonus points in all five matches with three falls and a pair of technical falls. He punctuated his title run by pinning Joe Tully (WPI) in 1:26 in the first-place bout.