January 19, 2015
SUNYAC selects athletes of the week for the week ending Jan. 18
CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) recognizes 13 winter athletes from six different institutions as Athletes of the Week for outstanding performances during the week of January 11 - 18.
MALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Connor Mergler (FR)
Buffalo State (E. Amherst, NY/Williamsville North)
The freshman took down a 40-year-old school record in the 50 free that belonged to John Meade (21.60 in 1974), and won three events in a dual meet against Oswego. Mergler won the 50-free, with a school and pool record time of 21.58 seconds. He also won the 100 back (56.37) and the 100 free (47.83).
MALE DIVER OF THE WEEK – Sam Randall (FR) Â
Geneseo (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland)
Randall started the week sweeping both diving events in the Knights' 131-87 victory over Monroe C.C. on Wednesday. He set a school record on 1-meter with a score of 488.03 before compiling a 342.30 on 3-meter. Randall also swept both diving events to lead the Knights during a tri-meet at Carnegie Mellon with Westminster on Saturday. He was the day's top finisher in the 1-meter (294.85) event, before completing the sweep with a winning score of 327.35 on 3-meter. All four scores during the week were NCAA Zone Diving qualifiers.
FEMALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Abigail Max (SR) Â
Geneseo (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford)
Max enjoyed a strong week in two meets for the Knights. In Wednesday's 139-92 victory over Monroe C.C., she recorded the night's fastest times in the 50 (25.08) and 100 (54.29) freestyle events and anchored the winning 400 medley relay (4:11.95). In Saturday's tri-meet at Carnegie Mellon with Westminster, Max was victorious in the 200 free (1:56.19), the 100 free (53.63) and the 500 free (5:13.65) before adding a leg to the winning 200 free relay (1:39.16).
FEMALE DIVER OF THE WEEK - Claudia Kolakowski (SO) Â
Geneseo (Highland Mills, N.Y./Highland Mills)
Kolakowski had a strong week of performances during the Knights' two meets. In Wednesday's 139-92 victory over Monroe C.C., she won the 1-meter event (391.36) and finished second on 3-meter (233.35). In Saturday's tri-meet at Carnegie Mellon with Westminster, she won the 1-meter diving event with a 294.85 performance, while also finishing third on 3-meter (235.30)
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ICE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Patrick Hermans (SO) Â
Plattsburgh, Defense (North Andover, Mass/The Northwood School)
Defenseman Patrick Hermans recorded a hat trick Saturday night against No. 13 Williams. The sophomore had one goal coming into Saturdays game before exploding for three against the Ephs.
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ICE HOCKEY GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Jon  Hall (JR) Â
Potsdam, Goalie (Dexter, N.Y./Stouffville Spirit)
Hall stopped 33 of 34 shots in the Bears 6-1 win over Western New England on Saturday night. The win was his sixth of the season, his new single season personal best.
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ICE HOCKEY ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Dylan Vander Esch (FR) Â
Potsdam, Forward (San Jose/Hartford Wolfpack)
Vander Esch broke loose for his first career hat trick in Potsdam's 6-1 victory over Western New England on Saturday night.
MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Roderick Epps (SR) Â
Buffalo State, G (Uniondale, NY/Uniondale)
Averaged 23.3 points and added 11 rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Epps netted 25 points in a win over Pine Manor on Tuesday, then scored 15 in a victory at Brockport on Friday, and then scored a season-high 30 points to go with four assists and two steals in a dramatic 87-86 win at Geneseo on Saturday. Epps moved into seventh in school history with 1,306 career points.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Olivia Suhr (JR) Â
Brockport, Forward (Rochester, NY/Marion)
Olivia Suhr led Brockport to its first SUNYAC win of its season. In a 74-61 win over Fredonia, Suhr was the top point scorer for either team finishing with 20 points on 9-of-20 shooting. She also added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in the victory. This week Suhr averaged 20.67 ppg with a total of 62 points. She also totaled 33 rebounds, seven assists and shot 54 percent from the field.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Samuel Taft (SR) Â
Brockport (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady Christian)
Samuel Taft won two individual events and also teamed up to win a relay event at the St. Lawrence Invitational. Taft won the 60-meter hurdles, the long jump and also won the 4x200 meter relay which led The College at Brockport Men's Track and Field team to placing first overall.
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INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Patrick Weinert (SR) Â
Oneonta (Schenevus, NY/Schenevus)
Weinert soared to a personal best mark in winning the weight throw while qualifying for the ECAC championships. He went past 19 meters for the first time of his career, which was over one-half meter farther than his previous best in the event. Weinert recorded a distance of 19.03m (62'5.25") in the event. He was also second in the shot put with a distance of 14.33m (47'0.25").
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD FEMALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jess Huber (JR) Â
Plattsburgh (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown HS)
At the St. Lawrence Invitational on Saturday, Jess broke her own school record in the 60-meter dash twice: once in the prelims (7.93) and once in the finals (7.86), finishing in third, and broke her own school record in the 200-meter dash (25.58), also finishing third. Her 200-meter time is currently the second fastest in the country, trailing first by only two hundredths of a second. She currently holds the fifth fastest 60-meter time and fastest 200-meter time in the ECAC, both qualifying marks for the ECAC Championship meet. She helped her team place fourth overall (75 points) at the meet.
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INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD FEMALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Ann Milliken (SR) Â
Brockport (Elmira, NY/Elmira Free Academy)
Senior Ann Milliken won the weight throw (15.08 meters) for The College at Brockport women's track and field team, to claim the lone first place finish for the Golden Eagle women at the St. Lawrence Invitational. Milliken also finished sixth in shot put, 10.80 meters
MALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Connor Mergler (FR)
Buffalo State (E. Amherst, NY/Williamsville North)
The freshman took down a 40-year-old school record in the 50 free that belonged to John Meade (21.60 in 1974), and won three events in a dual meet against Oswego. Mergler won the 50-free, with a school and pool record time of 21.58 seconds. He also won the 100 back (56.37) and the 100 free (47.83).
MALE DIVER OF THE WEEK – Sam Randall (FR) Â
Geneseo (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland)
Randall started the week sweeping both diving events in the Knights' 131-87 victory over Monroe C.C. on Wednesday. He set a school record on 1-meter with a score of 488.03 before compiling a 342.30 on 3-meter. Randall also swept both diving events to lead the Knights during a tri-meet at Carnegie Mellon with Westminster on Saturday. He was the day's top finisher in the 1-meter (294.85) event, before completing the sweep with a winning score of 327.35 on 3-meter. All four scores during the week were NCAA Zone Diving qualifiers.
FEMALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK – Abigail Max (SR) Â
Geneseo (New Hartford, N.Y./New Hartford)
Max enjoyed a strong week in two meets for the Knights. In Wednesday's 139-92 victory over Monroe C.C., she recorded the night's fastest times in the 50 (25.08) and 100 (54.29) freestyle events and anchored the winning 400 medley relay (4:11.95). In Saturday's tri-meet at Carnegie Mellon with Westminster, Max was victorious in the 200 free (1:56.19), the 100 free (53.63) and the 500 free (5:13.65) before adding a leg to the winning 200 free relay (1:39.16).
FEMALE DIVER OF THE WEEK - Claudia Kolakowski (SO) Â
Geneseo (Highland Mills, N.Y./Highland Mills)
Kolakowski had a strong week of performances during the Knights' two meets. In Wednesday's 139-92 victory over Monroe C.C., she won the 1-meter event (391.36) and finished second on 3-meter (233.35). In Saturday's tri-meet at Carnegie Mellon with Westminster, she won the 1-meter diving event with a 294.85 performance, while also finishing third on 3-meter (235.30)
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ICE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Patrick Hermans (SO) Â
Plattsburgh, Defense (North Andover, Mass/The Northwood School)
Defenseman Patrick Hermans recorded a hat trick Saturday night against No. 13 Williams. The sophomore had one goal coming into Saturdays game before exploding for three against the Ephs.
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ICE HOCKEY GOALIE OF THE WEEK – Jon  Hall (JR) Â
Potsdam, Goalie (Dexter, N.Y./Stouffville Spirit)
Hall stopped 33 of 34 shots in the Bears 6-1 win over Western New England on Saturday night. The win was his sixth of the season, his new single season personal best.
                                                                Â
ICE HOCKEY ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Dylan Vander Esch (FR) Â
Potsdam, Forward (San Jose/Hartford Wolfpack)
Vander Esch broke loose for his first career hat trick in Potsdam's 6-1 victory over Western New England on Saturday night.
MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Roderick Epps (SR) Â
Buffalo State, G (Uniondale, NY/Uniondale)
Averaged 23.3 points and added 11 rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Epps netted 25 points in a win over Pine Manor on Tuesday, then scored 15 in a victory at Brockport on Friday, and then scored a season-high 30 points to go with four assists and two steals in a dramatic 87-86 win at Geneseo on Saturday. Epps moved into seventh in school history with 1,306 career points.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Olivia Suhr (JR) Â
Brockport, Forward (Rochester, NY/Marion)
Olivia Suhr led Brockport to its first SUNYAC win of its season. In a 74-61 win over Fredonia, Suhr was the top point scorer for either team finishing with 20 points on 9-of-20 shooting. She also added six rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block in the victory. This week Suhr averaged 20.67 ppg with a total of 62 points. She also totaled 33 rebounds, seven assists and shot 54 percent from the field.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Samuel Taft (SR) Â
Brockport (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady Christian)
Samuel Taft won two individual events and also teamed up to win a relay event at the St. Lawrence Invitational. Taft won the 60-meter hurdles, the long jump and also won the 4x200 meter relay which led The College at Brockport Men's Track and Field team to placing first overall.
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INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD MALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Patrick Weinert (SR) Â
Oneonta (Schenevus, NY/Schenevus)
Weinert soared to a personal best mark in winning the weight throw while qualifying for the ECAC championships. He went past 19 meters for the first time of his career, which was over one-half meter farther than his previous best in the event. Weinert recorded a distance of 19.03m (62'5.25") in the event. He was also second in the shot put with a distance of 14.33m (47'0.25").
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD FEMALE TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Jess Huber (JR) Â
Plattsburgh (Plattsburgh, N.Y./Beekmantown HS)
At the St. Lawrence Invitational on Saturday, Jess broke her own school record in the 60-meter dash twice: once in the prelims (7.93) and once in the finals (7.86), finishing in third, and broke her own school record in the 200-meter dash (25.58), also finishing third. Her 200-meter time is currently the second fastest in the country, trailing first by only two hundredths of a second. She currently holds the fifth fastest 60-meter time and fastest 200-meter time in the ECAC, both qualifying marks for the ECAC Championship meet. She helped her team place fourth overall (75 points) at the meet.
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INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD FEMALE FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK – Ann Milliken (SR) Â
Brockport (Elmira, NY/Elmira Free Academy)
Senior Ann Milliken won the weight throw (15.08 meters) for The College at Brockport women's track and field team, to claim the lone first place finish for the Golden Eagle women at the St. Lawrence Invitational. Milliken also finished sixth in shot put, 10.80 meters
