NEWTOWN, Pa. (Conference News) – The Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) has announced its conference weekly award recipients for the week ending January 26, 2025. A total of 17 student-athletes were recognized for performances from Jan. 20, 2024 to Jan. 26, 2025.
MEN’S BASKETBALL (#MAChoops)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Garrett Cox (Hood / Sr., F / Glen Allen, Va.) battled injury early in the season but no better time to return to shape than conference play where he had racked up 52 points, 16 rebounds and 12-14 shooting at the free throw line in two wins. The Stevenson game, where the Blazers scored 112 points, Cox recorded 20 points and three assists with a block that rounded out the Blazers. In the thrilling overtime win over first place York, he recorded a double-double with 32 points and 10 rebounds and took over the game. He was effective in each portion of the game in the paint while hitting both of his threes and knocking down 10-of-12 of his free throws at the line.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Kevin Lazdowsky (Misericordia / Sr., G / Scranton, Pa.) averaged 24.5 points per game in a 1-1 week. He shot 56.7 % from the floor, including 46.2 from three-point range and was 9-9 from the line. He had 22 points in a loss to Arcadia and had 27 points in a win at King's.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL (#MAChoops)
MAC Commonwealth Player of the Week
Jennah DeGout (Alvernia / Sr., F / Bronx, N.Y.) averaged 22 points and 8.5 rebounds in a 2-0 week for Alvernia. DeGout finished the week shooting 50% and averaging just under 29 minutes of action per game. DeGout finished with 31 points and nine rebounds to lead Alvernia to a 79-77 win over Eastern on Wednesday. DeGout finished the game shooting 12-for-20, and had four assists and two blocks. In a 74-73 win over Stevenson on Saturday, DeGout finished the afternoon with 13 points and eight rebounds. She had one assist on the day - which came on the game-winning 3-pointer scored by Ryleigh Poole with five seconds to play in the fourth quarter.
MAC Freedom Player of the Week
Brielle Reidinger (Lebanon Valley / Jr., F / Easton, Pa.) had a pair of double-doubles to lead LVC to a 2-0 week and into sole possession of first place in the conference standings. The junior had 39 points, 29 rebounds, six assists, and five blocks while shooting 56.3 percent from the field in double-digit wins against FDU-Florham and Arcadia. The forward started the week with a huge double-double of a season-high 21 points and a season-high 19 rebounds with four assists and two blocks in a 74-50 victory over FDU-Florham. She then added 18 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists in a 69-56 victory at Arcadia in a battle for first place.
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY (#MAChky)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Matt Carlson (Wilkes / Jr., F / Delmar, N.Y.) helped the Colonels to two wins this week, contributing two goals and two assists on 11 shots. He also went 50% from the faceoff circle (21-42), finishing the week +4. Carlson had one goal and two assists in the 7-1 win over Arcadia on Wednesday, then netted the game-winning goal in Friday’s shootout win at Alvernia. In Saturday’s shootout loss, Carlson netted his second goal of the week.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Diego D’Alessandro (King’s / So., G / Caledon, Ontario) picked up both wins with a shutout, totaling 79 saves (39.5 per game) while allowing just one goal for a .988 save percentage and a 0.5 goals against average. He opened the weekend with 46 saves and allowed one goal for a .978 save percentage in Saturday's 4-1 win at Arcadia. D'Alessandro then recorded his second career shutout while making 33 saves in Sunday's 5-0 shutout win over Arcadia.
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY (#MAChky)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Nina Hudáková (Wilkes / Fy., F / Košice, Slovakia) netted three goals on ten shots in the weekend sweep of Alvernia, finishing the weekend +4. She opened her account on Friday, scoring the winning goal that sealed a 2-1 victory. In the 5-1 win on Saturday, Hudakova added two more on six shots.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Mia Frisoni (Lebanon Valley / So., G / Glenville, N.Y.) made 24 saves to earn her fourth shutout of the year as LVC went on the road to defeat Stevenson 5-0 in its only game of the week. Frisoni made seven saves in the first period, 11 in the second, and six saves in the third period to give LVC their 12th win of the year, which equals the most in program history. Her fourth shutout also equals the program record with teammate Lacy Bigelow who recorded her fourth shutout a couple weekends ago.
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Sam Knowles (Widener / Jr. / Ephrata, Pa.) only event this weekend came at Widener's Winter Evening Invite at UPenn's The Ott Center where he sprinted to a first overall finish in the 400-meter dash. Knowles would capture a 48.37 to win by a second and move to 14th in the nation and first in the MAC.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Matthieu Brunelle (Misericordia / Sr. / Emerson, N.J.) was second in the long jump (6.72m) and triple jump (13.43m) at the Houghton Highlander Invitational. Both jumps are the longest in the MAC this week and the fourth-longest of the season.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD (#MACtf)
MAC Track Athlete of the Week
Haley Estus (DeSales / Sr. / Newfoundland, Pa.) took home first place in the 3,000-meters with a time of 10:26.69 at the Widener University Winter's Evening Invite last weekend. Her time is the second fastest in the MAC this season in the 3K.
MAC Field Athlete of the Week
Kayla Robinson (Widener / Sr. / Bristol, Conn.) would have a top performance in the nation at Widener's 2025 Winter Evening Invite at UPenn's The Ott Center on Friday evening. Robinson competed in the triple jump where she would down her own Widener record with a 12.45-meter jump. She would move to third in the nation after the weekend results. The Bristol, Conn. native would also take third in the long jump with a 5.48-meter distance.
MEN’S SWIMMING (#MACswim)
MAC Swimmer of the Week
Bryan Collins (York / Jr. / Hanover, Pa.) led the Spartans to a trio of wins to close out the regular season this week. The Spartans went on the road to beat Elizabethtown on Wednesday and then swept Messiah and Stevenson on Saturday. The Spartans finished the year 8-2 in their dual meet season including 4-0 against MAC opponents. Collins had a great week with a pair of individual wins against Elizabethtown while he was also part of a winning relay team. He followed that with two more wins in Saturday's tri-meet in addition to being part of a pair of winning relay squads. Against Elizabethtown, he won the 200 free in a time of 1:50.11 and then captured victory in the 100 free with a time of 49.16. He also swam the anchor of the winning 200 free relay team who posted a winning time of 1:29.03. In Saturday's tri-meet sweep, Collins won the 100 breaststroke and the 50 free. His time in the breaststroke was 1:02.29 while his time in the 50 free was 22.46. Collins also swam the anchor leg on the winning 200 medley relay and leadoff on the winning 200 free relay squad. For the year, Collins led the squad with 15 individual wins while he also had a trio of runner up finishes. He was also part of 11 winning relay squads. He heads into the MAC Championships with the top times in the 50 free and the 100 free while he ranks second in the 200 free.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING (#MACswim)
MAC Swimmer of the Week
Isabella Klemm (York / Jr. / Halethorpe, Md.) closed out the regular season with a huge week in the Spartans' three wins for the week. The Spartans concluded the year with a record of 6-4 in dual meets including 4-0 in meets against MAC teams. Klemm posted six individual wins as she won three in the dual at Elizabethtown and three more in the tri-meet with Messiah and Stevenson. In the win over Elizabethtown, Klemm won the 200 IM, the 100 fly and the 100 breaststroke. Her time in the 200 IM was 2:15.10 while she touched the wall in the 100 fly in a time of 1:02.58. Her time in the 100 breaststroke was 1:06.55. In the season finale at Stevenson, Klemm won the 100 breaststroke in a time of 1:06.74, the 200 breaststroke in a time of 2:28.24 and the 200 IM in a time of 2:16.64. She was also a part of the winning 200 medley relay team as she swam the second leg of the event. Klemm finished the regular season with 23 individual wins, matching her total from her sophomore year. She also had one runner-up finish while she was also part of five winning relay teams. Klemm heads into the MAC Championships with the best times in the 100 breaststroke, the 200 breaststroke, and the 200 IM while she has the second-best time in the 50 free and the third best time in the 100 backstroke.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL (#MACvb)
MAC Offensive Player of the Week
Ryan Thenell (Stevenson / Sr., PJH / West Milford, N.J.) had a strong week for the Mustangs, with their only loss to nationally-ranked Juniata. Hit .278 for the week with 35 kills. Hit .520 in the win over Eastern Mennonite with 15 kills and just two errors. Had 12 kills in the win over Elizabethtown.
MAC Defensive Player of the Week
Benjamin Clendening (Misericordia / Jr., MB / Langhorne, Pa.) averaged 1.5 blocks per set in a 3-1 week at the Fenway Classic. Had five blocks in a sweep at Emmanuel and had nine blocks in a sweep of Endicott. Had two blocks each in a loss to nationally-ranked Wentworth and a 3-0 win over Baruch.
WRESTLING (#MACwrestle)
Wrestler of the Week
Mason Casey (Messiah / Sr. / New Holland, Pa.) defeated Kyle Collins via fall in 1:56. Casey returned to the mats on Saturday, Jan. 25, at the D. Kenneth Ober Invitational hosted by Elizabethtown College where the Falcons finished fourth with 110 points. He started his day with two byes before defeating Roanoke's Michael Policarpio via 7-4 decision. Casey was down 4-1 after the first two periods before earning an escape and takedown in the third period before earning a penalty point and riding time point to win 7-4. In his second contested bout of the day, Casey earned a 4-1 decision over Logan Barkey of York to advance. Casey then defeated RIT's Gabe Scalise due to injury forfeit to advance to the championship bout. In the championship bout, Casey defeated Cody Merwin of Cortland State via 6-3 decision to claim the individual title. Merwin struck with a first period takedown before Casey battled back and used an escape and takedown in the third period to secure the 6-3 decision.