NEWTOWN, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending February 18, 2024. A total of 25 student-athletes were recognized for performances from Feb. 12, 2024 to Feb. 18, 2024.
WRESTLING (#MACwrestle)
Wrestler of the Week
Stefan Major (Stevens / Sr., 174 / Fort Salonga, N.Y.) earned his 100th career victory Saturday in the Ducks' 43-3 dual victory over York. The Fort Salonga, New York native achieved the milestone in style with a first-period pin of Devon O'Dell.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY (#MAChky)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Ethan Hersant (King’s / Jr., F / Victoria, British Columbia) earned a hat trick and an assist for four total points in the Monarchs' 5-4 OT win over Manhattanville on Saturday Feb. 17 to help King's earn its first playoff berth in program history. He not only scored the game-winning goal in overtime, but also assisted the goal that tied the game within the last 30 seconds of play. Hersant tallied 33 faceoff wins for the Monarchs as well.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Gabriel Pigeon (Lebanon Valley / Sr., G / Saint Remy, Quebec) came up big on Senior Night as the senior goaltender recorded LVC's first shutout of the year with 51 saves in a 4-0 victory over Alvernia to keep the Dutchmen alive for a possible UCHC playoff spot in his only action of the week. Pigeon extended the Dutchmen's winning streak to four games with 16 saves in the first period, 13 in the second, and then an amazing 22 saves in the third period. The win allowed the Dutchmen to clinch a second place finish in the MAC standings.
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY (#MAChky)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Abby Smith (Stevenson / Fy., F / Essex, Vermont) is coming off of a five-point weekend against Neumann. On Friday at home, Smith assisted on the Mustangs first and fifth goals before scoring Stevenson’s seventh and final goal. In game two at Neumann, Smith scored on the power-play for the first goal of the game, then assisted on Emma DeMan’s power-play goal in the third. Smith finishes her rookie campaign with nine points.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Hannah Bergeron (Arcadia / Jr., G / Leominster, Mass.) picked up two wins and a shutout as she helped Arcadia clinch its first home playoff game in program history. She made 67 saves across the two victories over Chatham. To open the weekend, she made 31 saves in a convincing 6-1 for Arcadia. Then, in the Knights' 3-0 win over the Cougars, she made 36 saves, 16 of them coming in the third period to pick up her fifth shutout and 10th victory of the year, which are both personal bests.
MEN’S BASKETBALL (#MAChoops)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Kai Cipalla (York / Jr., F / Lititz, Pa.) wrapped up his 2023-24 season with a huge week against the top two seeds in the upcoming MAC Commonwealth tournament.Cipalla averaged 25.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in two games for the week. He played 38.6 minutes per game as he shot 67.6% (21-for-31) from the floor and 60% (9-for-15) from the line while he had three assists, four steals and two blocked shots during the week. In the game at Widener on Wednesday, Cipalla had 29 points and eight rebounds as he was 11-for-16 from the floor and 7-for-9 from the line. He added two assists, a blocked shot and a steal in his 40 minutes of play. Against Hood on Saturday, Cipalla had 22 points and nine rebounds as he played 37 minutes in the game. Cipalla was 10-for-15 from the floor and 2-for-6 from the line. He had three steals, one assist and one block for the Green and White. For the year, Cipalla averaged a league-leading 20.4 points per game while he also pulled in 7.8 rebounds per game. He shot 58.4% from the floor and 75.2% from the free throw line. He also had 50 assists, 26 steals and 36 blocked shots as he averaged 33.5 minutes per game.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Jalen Watkins (Arcadia / Gr., F / Philadelphia, Pa.) recorded two double-doubles on the Knights 2-0 week. He totaled 28 points, 33 rebounds, 5 steals and 4 assists. In Arcadia's conference win over FDU-Florham, Watkins tallied 14 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists. Then in the Knights' conference win over Lebanon Valley, he put up 14 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, had 2 steals and 2 assists.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (#MAChoops)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Mia Robbins (Widener / So., P / Voorhees, N.J.) and the Pride ended the week 2-0 in the final MAC Commonwealth games. On Tuesday night on the road, Robbins would drop 23 points and eight rebounds in a 72-65 win over York to sweep the series. In 28 minutes of play she would accumulate 52.63 shooting percentage from the field and a perfect 3-of-3 from the stripe while adding in a steal. On Saturday at Albright she earned a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds in 28 minutes. The win on Saturday would tie the Pride's best regular season record of 21-4.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Kay Decker (Stevens / Fy., G / Huntersville, N.C.) posted consecutive double-doubles in helping the Ducks secure a spot in the MAC Freedom tournament. The first-year player began her week with a 13-point, 10-rebound performance in a pivotal 72-61 victory over Delaware Valley. Decker then followed that up with a career-high 24 points to go along with 14 boards in a double-digit win at FDU-Florham that clinched a postseason berth. Decker averaged 18.5 points on 15 of 25 shooting (60%), while also averaging 12 rebounds across the two games in posting the fifth and sixth double-doubles of her career. She also contributed three assists, two blocks and a steal, while also shooting 78% (7 of 9) from the line.
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Zach Reed (Lebanon Valley / Sr. / Manheim, Pa.) won two events at the SU Tune Up on Saturday with a pair of times that are the best in the MAC heading into the conference championships next week. Reed won the 60-meter hurdles with a career-best time of 8.24 seconds. Reed also ran 8.49 seconds in the prelims which was the fastest time at the meet heading into the final. His time is ranked 42nd in the nation, tops the Mid-Atlantic Region, is 11th in the AARTFC, and third in program history. The senior also anchored LVC's 4x200 team that won in 1:32.74. That time is also leading the MAC, sixth in the region, and sixth in the AARTFC.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Ibrahim Fall (FDU-Florham / So. / Boonron, N.J.) posted three MAC qualifying marks before the conference championships next weekend. Those qualifying marks included a 14.11m (46' 3.5") triple jump that was the best mark at the Susquehanna Tune Up and currently sits as the fourth best jump in the MAC this season and ranks sixth in the metro region. He also qualified in the long jump with a distance of 6.60m (21' 8") that stands as the fifth best mark in the conference this season and the 10th best in the metro region.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Laura Mathews (Stevens / Gr. / Denville, N.J.) posted a pair of first-place finishes at Army's West Point Tune Up. Mathews topped the field in the 200-meter dash (25.33 seconds) and the 60-meter hurdles (8.62 seconds). Posting season-best times in both events, Mathews sits atop the MAC in each event, while also ranking among the top-15 times in Division III.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Kayla Robinson (Widener / Jr. / Bristol, Conn.) competed at the Haverford Keogh Invitational where she would jump in the long jump and triple jump and throw in the shot put. In the long jump she would mark a 5.14-meter jump and take second. The triple jump featured a 11.28-meter jump and a first place finish. Her shot put throw would mark a new personal best with a 12.64-meter throw. Currently Robinson moved up to fifth in the conference standings in the long jump, second in the triple jump, and first in the shot put. Her triple jump mark of 11.28-meters is currently 40th in all of Division III.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL (#MACvb)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Ryan Givens (Messiah / Jr., MH / Mountville, Pa.) led the Falcons to a 3-1 week, with wins over Penn St. Altoona, No. 19 Baldwin Wallace, and No. 9 Nazareth. In the sweep over Penn St. Altoona on Wednesday, Givens totaled 15 kills with a .650 hitting percentage, and also added five blocks. In the five-set win over No. 19 Baldwin Wallace, Givens continued to have a strong week with 20 kills with a .487 hitting percentage, and five blocks. Givens added 11 kills and three blocks in the loss to No. 10 North Central. Givens finished the week strong in the sweep over No. 9 Nazareth with 13 more kills with a .684 hitting percentage, and two blocks.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Gavin Gilhool (King’s / Jr., MB / Elizabethtown, Pa.) recorded 14 blocks in the Monarchs 2-1 week. He averaged 4.6 blocks per game and 1.5 blocks per set. Gilhool had four blocks against Widener. The middle blocker created five blocks in both games against Mount Saint Vincent and Pratt Institute to help King's have a 2-0 weekend.
MEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Commonwealth Offensive Player of the Week
Jackson Shields (York / Jr., SSDM / Harrisburg, Pa.) put together a career day to lead the 15th-ranked Spartans to a thrilling victory over No. 7 Washington and Lee on Saturday in an offensive slugfest. The Spartan midfielder led all players with his career-high five goals, four of which he scored in the third quarter to give the Spartans a crucial one-goal edge heading into the fourth quarter. Shields also picked up four ground balls which ranked second on the team for the day.
MAC Commonwealth Defensive Player of the Week
Brent Blackmon (York / Gr., D / Henrico, Va.) led No. 15 York with a pair of caused turnovers in York’s victory over No. 7 Washington and Lee on Saturday which both led directly to York goals. The fifth-year senior checked the ball loose out of the stick of a hot-handed Hillis Burns (4g 3a) with 5:39 left in the fourth quarter which then led to a Spartan tally on the other end to give the Green and White a crucial two-goal advantage. The play by Blackmon sparked the turning point as the Spartans went on to post back-to-back defensive stops and salt away enough time to eliminate the chances of a late W&L comeback.
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Alex Adamczyk (Arcadia / Sr., A / Zionsville, Pa.) opened the season with a career-high four goals and an assist for a career-high five points in the Knights' 13-6 win over Immaculata.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Kevin Holtby (Stevens / Gr., GK / Readington, N.J.) made 17 saves in a narrow, one-goal, overtime loss, to No. 5/5 Dickinson. Holtby also picked up six ground balls.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE (#MAClax)
MAC Freedom Offensive Player of the Week
Emily Beard (Lebanon Valley / Sr., M / Lebanon, Pa.) had three points on two goals and one assist in LVC's 15-7 defeat at Dickinson to open the season on Sunday. The senior took six shots putting five on goal and won three draw controls.
MAC Freedom Defensive Player of the Week
Riley Finnegan (Lebanon Valley / Sr., D / Ridley Park, Pa.) won three draw controls, had three ground balls, and caused a turnover in LVC's season-opening 15-7 defeat at Dickinson. The senior did not have a single turnover while helping the Dutchmen to successfully clear 19 of 21 clear attempts.
BASEBALL (#MACbaseball)
MAC Commonwealth Pitcher of the Week
Dutch DeProspero (Hood / Jr., P / Leesburg, Va.) earned a 6-0 win over Elmira. Struck out five batters through four innings, only allowing one hit through four innings, walking two. The first inning started with three strikeouts and his last batter he faced in the fourth K'ed via swing.
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Tyler Schwarzman (Hood / So., OF / Mechanicsburg, Pa.) led Hood in batting, going 5-8 on the day with two RBIs, four runs and five stolen bases. Went perfect 4-4 in game one and scored twice. In game two, Schwarzman scored twice including getting hit by a pitch in the sixth inning resulting in him stealing second and third and eventually tallying the final run of the 6-0 win over Elmira.
MAC Freedom Pitcher of the Week
Michael Hooker (DeSales / So., P / Ridley Park, Pa.) earned a win pitching four innings allowing just one run in the 6-3 win over Bridgewater College (VA) on Sunday. He also allowed just one hit and struck out one
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
JT Anderosky (DeSales / So., OF / Warrington, Pa.) batted .500 over the weekend leading DeSales to a 2-1 record in a three-game set at Bridgewater College (VA). He had a hit in all three games and totaled four hits in the game one 13-9 win on Saturday. Anderosky stole three bases, had two RBIs, and had both a double and triple among his six hits.