SUNYAC Athletes of the Week - January 20, 2026
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC releases its winter Athletes of the Week recognizing 18 student-athletes from eight member institutions for their notable performances during the week of January 12-19.
Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Deacon Judd, Oswego
The Lakers continued to roll and Judd continues to lead the offense with another great week. Against Oneonta he scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on 61 percent shooting. Then at home against Canton he added 33 points and 10 more rebounds for his second double-double of the week while once gain shooting 61 percent. Judd is currently second in the conference in ppp (20.3) and rpg (8.6).
Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Joleen Lusk, Cortland
Lusk averaged 14 points, nine rebounds, 2.3 assists and two blocked shots per game in a 3-0 week for the league-leading Red Dragons. She scored 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting and added five rebounds in a win over Buffalo State on Tuesday, then posted double-figure rebounds in wins at Potsdam and Plattsburgh. She totaled 13 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in the Potsdam win and had eight points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two blocks against Plattsburgh.
Men's Ice Hockey Athlete of the Week - Travis Baker, Oswego
The Lakers earned two more SUNAYC road wins this weekend at Buffalo State and Fredonia. Baker helped lead the Lakers as a defenseman starting on Friday when he assisted on two goals against the Bengals. He went on to Saturday and scored two of the Lakers three goals to take down Fredonia as well. Baker is currently third in the SUNYAC in assists with 11.
Men's Ice Hockey Goaltender of the Week - Trey Miller, Canton
Miller combined to stop 72 of the 75 shots he faced (.960 save percentage) leading the Roos to an unbeaten 2-0 weekend in SUNYAC play. He opened the weekend stopping a career-high 43 shots, making at least 12 saves in every period, in a 3-1 road win at Plattsburgh on Friday. On Saturday he turned aside 29 more shots leading the Roos to a 3-2 OT road win at Skidmore. Miller leads the Roos with a 5-3-0 record and .929 save percentage this season as he ranks top five in the conference in save percentage, saves and win percentage.
Men's Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week - Colton Alexander, Canton
Alexander had a hand in all three Canton goals in a 3-1 road win at Plattsburgh on Friday leading the Roos to an unbeaten 2-0 weekend in SUNYAC play. He gave the Roos a 1-0 lead on a first period power play goal and had the primary assist on the eventual game-winner less than two minutes later. Alexander sealed the win with an empty-netter with less than a minute remaining.
Women's Ice Hockey Athlete of the Week - Jalynn Castro, Potsdam
Castro scored three of the Bears' five goals, and had an assist, in a 1-0-1 weekend against Chatham. On Friday, she twice rallied Potsdam with goals, erasing 1-0 and 2-0 deficits in a 2-2 tie. On Saturday, she assisted on a power-play goal. She then completed the Bears' comeback with the game-winner 32 seconds into overtime for the 3-2 victory.
Women's Ice Hockey Goaltender of the Week - Alexa Todd, Buffalo St.
Todd was stellar in goal for Buffalo State as she made 42 saves in the Bengals 2-2 tie with No. 5 Nazareth on Friday night. Todd made a combined 20 saves in the third period and overtime to help keep the Bengals in the action.
Women's Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week - Lauren Ricobelli, Oswego
Freshman Ricobelli had a great weekend for the Lakers when they took on the Manhattan Valiants on Friday and Saturday. She left the weekend with 3 total points on 1 goal and two assists adding to her season totals of 3 goals and 2 assists.
Men's Swimmer of the Week - Jack Clark, Cortland
Clark posted two victories to help Cortland win the team title at the RPI Kumpf Invitational. He won the 50-yard freestyle in 21.49 seconds and the 100-yard freestyle in 47.99 seconds. Clark also swam the anchor freestyle leg on Cortland's mixed 200-yard medley relay team that finished in second place in 1:46.90.
Men's Diver of the Week - Kevin Kohlhoff, Cortland
Kohlhoff won both diving events to help Cortland claim the team title at the RPI Kumpf Invitational on Saturday. He won the 1-meter board with a six-dive score of 300.05 points and the 3-meter board with a six-dive score of 273.25 points.
Women's Swimmer of the Week - Jayna Laferriere, Oswego
Against Roberts Wesleyan Laferriere was dominant in the freestyle events, winning three individual races: the 200-yard freestyle (1:59.29), 100-yard freestyle (54.89), and 500-yard freestyle (5:33.27). She also led off the first-place 200-yard freestyle relay.
Women's Diver of the Week - Auttumn Ayakawa, Cortland
Ayakawa won both diving events for the Red Dragons at the RPI Kumpf Invitational, helping the team finish second out of four schools in the final team standings. She posted six-dive scores of 267.25 points on the 3-meter board and 254.30 points on the 1-meter board. Her 3-meter score marks her second time meeting NCAA regional qualifying status on the board, earning her a spot at the NCAA regionals in late February.
Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Charles Cypress, Plattsburgh
Cypress placed first in the 200-meter dash as Plattsburgh returned to action at the Middlebury Winter Classic. The senior sprinter clocked a time of 22.26 seconds.
Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week - Isaiah Slater, Oneonta
Junior Slater won the long jump at the Ithaca Quad Meet with a personal record of 7.24 meters. The mark is second best in program history and currently ranks fifth in Division III.
Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Grace Yarkosky, Plattsburgh
Yarkosky delivered a record-breaking performance in the 600-meter dash as Plattsburgh returned to action at the Middlebury Winter Classic. Her time of 1:.35.01 set a new program indoor record, earning her first place.
Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week - Gianna Boland, Cortland
Boland won the triple jump at the Ithaca Quad Meet with a distance of 10.70 meters (35' 1.25"). The meet featured Ithaca, TCNJ and Oneonta in addition to Cortland. Her performance ranks second in the SUNYAC this season.
Men's Wrestler of the Week - Seth Richardson, Utica
Richardson and the Pioneers returned to action in the 2026 year by traveling to the Floy Lewis Bakes Center to compete in the Will Abele Invitational, hosted by Ursinus College. He opened the tournament with a commanding 15-3 major decision in the Round of 16, then rebounded from a quarterfinal setback by ripping off three straight wins in the consolation rounds. Richardson capped his run with two pins and a decisive win in the fifth-place bout. In his first fall victory, he overcame a 17-6 deficit to win the match at the 6:34 mark. The following bout, he closed out a 7-0 win by fall after 2:45. In the fifth-place match against SVU's Tanner Giatras, Richardson won in an 11-4 decision.
Men's Wrestling Rookie of the Week - Nuallan King, Utica
King and the Pioneers returned to action in the 2026 year by traveling to the Floy Lewis Bakes Center to compete in the Will Abele Invitational, hosted by Ursinus College. In the 197-pound weight class, freshman Nuallan King earned one of the Pioneers' placements in the event, finishing with a win in the fifth-place match. After falling in a 9-7 decision in the round of 16, his first match of the day, King went on a run of five advancements, two by decision victories, two via win by fall, and the final by default. The decisions were won by scores of 7-5 and 5-0, with the first fall win coming after 4:33 in a 7-4 losing effort. The fifth-place match featured Alfred State's Pierce Tran, who was tied 3-3 with King at the time of his 4:06 victory by fall.
