SUNYAC Athletes of the Week - February 23, 2026
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC selects its Athletes of the Week recognizing both winter and spring student-athletes for their notable performances during the week of February 16-22.
WINTER SPORTS
Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Trevor Amalfitano, New Paltz
Amalfitano was the offensive catalyst this past weekend, including during a crucial last-second road win over Plattsburgh Friday night. The sophomore kept the Hawks afloat throughout the contest against the Cardinals, finishing with a career- and game-high 33 points on 61 percent shooting, making a career-high 14-for-23 from the field including 4-for-9 from 3-point range, while adding a team-high six rebounds with a block and a steal in 80-79 victory that clinched the No. 4 seed in the SUNYAC playoffs. Amalfitano backed up that performance with a quick 21 points on a productive 6-for-10 shooting in 27 minutes, while adding a team-high nine rebounds and two blocks. He also made 9-for-12 from the foul line, including 3-for-4 (he grabbed his own miss and got hit again) in the final seconds to ice the 94-90 victory over hosting Potsdam.
Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Zhane Holmes, Oswego
The Lakers needed two home wins this weekend to secure theirt playoff spot and the offense was lead by Zhane Holmes. On Friday, she poured in 23 points with 8 rebounds, 4 steals, and 5 assists in an overtime win over Fredonia. Then on Saturday she added 26 more points with 5 rebounds, 2 steals, and 4 assists on the way to another win over Buffalo State. On Saturday she scored her 1000th career point.
Men's Ice Hockey Athlete of the Week - Dominic Schimizzi, Hobart
Schimizzi led Hobart with five points on three goals and two assists in a 2-0-0 weekend to close out the regular season. On Friday night, he set up Hobart's second goal of the game. The next day against Fredonia, Schimizzi recorded his first colletgiate hat trick. He had two power-play goals in the game. He also set up a goal in the third period. Schimizzi has 14 points on eight goals and six assists this season.
Men's Ice Hockey Goaltender of the Week - Trey Miller, Canton
Miller combined to stop 78 of the 83 shots he faced (.940 save %) as the Roos split a pair of games earning three points in the standings to clinch the five seed in the upcoming SUNYAC playoffs. The junior turned aside 43 shots including 33 in the second and third periods as the Roos came from down two goals to force OT in a 4-3 loss to Skidmore on Friday. Miller stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced (.972) including making double digit saves in every period in a 2-1 win against Plattsburgh on Saturday. Miller finishes the regular season third in the SUNYAC in save % (.933) and fourth in total saves (547).
Men's Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week - Ryan Stratton, Skidmore
Stratton led the Thoroughbreds to a 4-3 overtime win at Canton on Friday night when the first-year scored a hat trick including the overtime game winner to take down the Kangaroos. He then added an assist in the win over Potsdam on Friday night to finish the weekend with four points for Skidmore in the road sweep to complete the regular season and earn the team the No. 3 seed.
Women's Ice Hockey Athlete of the Week - Danika Lalonde, Canton
Lalonde had a hand in four of Canton's five goals in an unbeaten weekend to help the Roos clinch their second straight SUNYAC playoff berth. She opened the weekend registering the primary assist on Canton's first goal and then scored the eventual game-winner on the power play in a 2-1 win against William Smith on Friday. Lalonde closed out the weekend with another goal and assist as she assisted Canton's second goal and then later gave them a 3-2 lead on her fifth goal of the season in a 3-3 OT tie against Buffalo State on Saturday. Lalonde finishes the regular season third in the SUNYAC with 14 assists.
Women's Ice Hockey Goaltender of the Week - Magalie Parent, SUNY Potsdam
Parent posted a 2-0 record, 0.50 goals-against average, .983 save percentage and 59 saves in a weekend sweep of SUNYAC foes. On Friday, the Bears captain stopped 23 shots in a 2-1 win over Morrisville. On Saturday, she shut out Cortland for the second time this season with 36 stops, launching Potsdam back into the playoffs for the first time in four seasons.
Women's Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week - Bailey Mackellar, Plattsburgh
First-year forward Bailey Mackellar rose to the occasion in the Cardinals' biggest weekend of the season, delivering clutch performances in a battle between the top two seeds with the No. 1 seed and home-ice advantage through the playoffs on the line. In a high-stakes matchup against Cortland, Mackellar recorded two assists, including a crucial helper on the game-winning goal. She carried that momentum into the Cardinals' victory over Morrisville, finding the back of the net to cap off an impactful weekend performance.
Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Kyler Alston, Cortland
Alston finished first in the 300-meter dash in 34.68 seconds and led off Cortland's winning 4x400-meter relay (3:21.31) at the Cornell University Marc Deneault Invitational. The relay time is an AARTRC qualifier.
Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week - Isaiah Brunache, Cortland
Brunache shattered his own school record in the weight throw with a winning distance of 19.84 meters (65' 1.25") at the Nazareth Conference Tune-Up meet. The throw is currently ranked second nationally in Division III, and it breaks his previous school record of 19.14 meters (62' 9.5") that was set during the 2025 NCAA Division III Indoor Championships. Brunache also won the shot put in a field of 30 athletes with a distance of 16.93 meters (55' 6.5") that is tied for 13th nationally.
Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Hanna Reichard, Oswego
Hannah won the mile in 5:05.64, setting a new Oswego program record and hitting the AARTFC qualifying standard, then followed it up with a second-place finish in the 800-meter run (2:17.91), also meeting the qualifying mark.
Women's Indoor Field Athelte of the Week - Jennifer Ndukwu, Cortland
Ndukwu finished first out of 17 competitors in the weight throw with a school-record distance of 17.03 meters (55' 10.5") at the Nazareth Conference Tune-Up meet. The effort currently ranks 18th nationally in Division III, and it breaks the previous school mark of 16.89 meters (55' 5") set in 2019. Ndukwu also finished fifth in the shot put at 11.90 meters/39' 0.5".
Men's Wrestler of the Week - Quincy Bonville, RIT
Bonville placed second in the 285 lb. weight class at the Pelicano Invitational, Saturday. He pinned Austin DeBolt 1:08 into his first match. He pinned Brady Callahan 1:48 into the semifinal match before a 7-4 loss to Colton Hall (Alfred) in the title bout.
Men's Wrestling Rookie of the Week - Marco Rivera, RIT
Rivera won the 149 lb. weight class at the Pelicano Invitational, Saturday. Rivera beat Nicholas Ewan (Alfred) with an 18-1 technical fall in his opening bout. He defeated Brandon Ribeiro (Ithaca), 10-3 in the quarterfinals before a 5-4 win over Justin Coiteux (SJFC) in the semifinals. Rivera beat first year Luke Pires, 18-10 in the championship match.
SPRING SPORTS
Baseball Athlete of the Week -Matt Sarni, New Paltz
Sarni led the Hawks in their season opening three-game series in Virginia Beach over the weekend. Starting at short and leading off in all three games, he led his team in hits (5) and total bases (8), hitting .455 after going 5-for-11 with five runs, three walks and his first homer of the year with an OBP of.600 and slugging percentage of .727. Sarni brought SUNY New Paltz within three in Game 1 against Virginia Wesleyan Friday, belting at two-run home run in the seventh to cut the score 6-3. In Game 2, he galvanized an explosive offensive performance against the Marlins, scoring the game's first run in the first before finishing with a team-high three runs scored and three RBI, finishing 2-for-3 at the plate with two walks in an 18-8 rout. In Game 3, he contributed two of the team's five hits and scored in the sixth to push his team ahead, 2-1. He finished the game 2-for-4 with a run scored and even came in to pitch and tossed an inning in relief.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week - Ryan McLaughlin, Cortland
McLaughlin earned the win in relief in Cortland's 11-1 season-opening victory versus Marietta at the D3 Showcase in Greensboro, N.C. He allowed only one hit and two walks and struck out five batters in three and two thirds scoreless innings.
Men's Lacrosse Offensive Athlete of the Week - Stefan Swedlund, Cortland
Swedlund played a huge role in No. 16 Cortland's 17-10 upset victory over No. 8 RPI in the season opener on Wednesday, scoring six goals and adding two ground balls. Swedlund's six goals came on just 11 shots for a 54.5% shooting percentage, and the junior had three of Cortland's four goals in the first quarter, one more in the second quarter, and two goals in the third quarter to help the Red Dragons secure the victory.
Men's Lacrosse Defensive Athlete of the Week - Charlie Falowski, Cortland
Falowski had a superb start to the season for the nationally 16th-ranked Red Dragons, recording a 64.3% save percentage with 18 saves in a 17-10 victory at nationally eighth-ranked RPI on Wednesday to begin the season. The junior also allowed just one goal each in the third and fourth quarters and registered 13 of his saves in the second half to help Cortland secure the win.
Women's Lacrosse Offensive Athlete of the Week - Lexi Atwater, New Paltz
Atwater carried the offense in the Hawks season opener on the road against Utica Saturday. She tied a career-high seven goals and added an assist for a game-high eight points. Her seven goals were tied for third most in the program's single-game history, while her eight points were tied for fifth most. She also added two ground balls and four draw controls.
Women's Lacrosse Defensive Athlete of the Week - Morgan Atwater, New Paltz
Morgan Atwater aided in the Hawks' 17-7 season opening road win over Utica Saturday, playing critical minutes on both sides of the field. She set a single-game program record with 12 draw control wins and picked up two ground balls to tie for a team-high, and helped hold the Pioneers to 16 shots, nine of which on target, while offensively contributing three goals and an assist.
