Empire 8 Announces Athletes of the Week s1

Date: November 5, 2012 Contact: Janelle Feuz, Assoc. Commissioner [email protected]

Empire 8 Announces Athletes of the Week

Field Hockey Offensive Player – Utica Alaina Stojkovski, Sophomore – Liverpool, NY/

Stojkovski had five points during the Empire 8 Tournament this weekend on her way to being named tournament MVP. On Saturday she had a goal and two assists in the Pioneers' 3-1 win over St. John Fisher. She followed that up with an assist in Sunday's Championship as Utica defeated the #1 seed, Stevens Institute of Technology, 4-3. Stojkovski has seven goals and leads the conference with 15 assists on the season.

Field Hockey Defensive Player – Elmira Kells Casey, Freshman, GK – Sandwich, MA

Casey had ten saves while helping Utica go 2-0 this past weekend and capture its first ever Empire 8 Conference Championship. On Saturday, she gave up just one goal as UC topped St. John Fisher 3-1 in the semifinal game. She followed that up on Sunday, allowing two goals and making eight saves as Utica defeated #1 seed, Stevens Institute of Technology for the E8 Championship. Casey leads the league with a .805 save percentage and 1.51 goals against average.

Football co-Offensive Player – Utica College Jeremy Meier, Senior, WR – Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy

Meier had nine catches for 112 yards in Utica's loss to No. 21 Salisbury on Saturday. He became the first receiver in school-history to catch for over 1,000 yards in a single season and broke the school's all-time receptions record for a season with 69.

Football co-Offensive Player – Salisbury Dan Griffin, Senior, QB – Jarrettsville, MD

Quarterback Dan Griffin ran for ran for a career-high five touchdowns and a season-high 137 yards as No. 21 Salisbury defeated Utica, 63-23, to claim the Empire 8’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament Saturday. He also threw for 47 yards. He had TDs of 2, 56 (SU's longest run of the year), 4, 2 and 1 yard, respectively. Griffin’s 30 points scored were six short of a tying a school record for points in a game and moved him within six of tying for the program’s all-time scoring mark. He ran 17 times for 8.1 yards per carry.

Football Defensive Player – Ithaca College Brian Garvey, Junior, CB – Franklin, MA/

Garvey tied a school record with three interceptions in Ithaca's 28-7 win over Hartwick. It was part of a school-record six interceptions overall by the Bomber defense. Garvey returned his third interception of the day four yards for a touchdown. He also factored in on eight tackles.

Football Special Teams Player – Salisbury Steven Gamble, Sophomore, LB – Rockville, MD/

Linebacker Steven Gamble blocked an extra point in No. 21 Salisbury’s 63-23 win over Utica to earn the Empire 8’s automatic qualification to the NCAA tournament Saturday. Gamble added four tackles, one for loss, a forced fumble and recovery and a pass broken up. It was the fourth blocked kick of the season for the Sea Gulls.

Men’s Soccer Offensive Player - Houghton Michael Amico, Senior - Las Vegas, NV/Faith Lutheran

Michael Amico tallied the equalizer in the 32nd minute to force double-overtime with rival Roberts Wesleyan College Friday night.

Men’s Soccer Defensive Player – Stevens Paul Killian, Junior, GK – Ellicott City, MD/

Paul Killian was named MVP of the Empire 8 Men’s Soccer Championship Tournament after helping Stevens Institute of Technology clinch the Empire 8 AQ to the NCAA Tournament and a share of the conference title. It is the sixth-straight Empire 8 crown for the program. The Ducks posted a 5-0 win over Elmira in the semifinals where Killian stop four shots and he followed up with making five saves in the title game to earn the tie. He came up with two saves in the shootout to guarantee the Ducks their 12-th straight NCAA tournament appearance. Killian has not allowed a goal over the last 660 minutes and 19 seconds of game play and has now backstopped seven-straight shutouts. The Ducks are unbeaten in their last 15 games.

Women’s Soccer Offensive Player – Ithaca Amanda Callanan, Junior, M – Ballston Spa, NY/

Callanan was named MVP of the Empire 8 Women's Soccer Championship Tournament after helping Ithaca clinch the Empire 8 AQ to the NCAA Tournament and a share of the Empire 8 title. Callanan, who played all 200 minutes of play in the 1-0-1 weekend, converted on her penalty kick against the Golden Flyers as the Bombers took a 3-2 edge, enough to secure the right to advance to the big dance. Women’s Soccer Defensive Player - Nazareth Abbie Carey, Junior, GK -

Abbie Carey anchored a Nazareth defense in a 0-0-2 weekend that led to a share of the Empire 8 title. She was named to the Empire 8 All-Tournament Team as the Golden Flyers posted back-to- back double overtime ties. Carey allowed just one goal in 220 minutes of action and made 15 saves throughout the two games. She made eight saves in the 1-1 tie against Stevens and came up with two big saves in the penalty shootout to advance Nazareth to the championship game. Carey made seven saves as she shutout nationally ranked No. 8 Ithaca and held Nazareth win its ninth conference crown. Nazareth and Ithaca have shared the title five times: 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012.

Women’s Volleyball Player - Nazareth Maria Allocco, Sophomore, MB – Ballston Lake, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake

Sophomore Maria Allocco was named MVP of the Empire 8 Conference Tournament for the second year in a row after leading Nazareth to wins over Elmira and Stevens to enable the Golden Flyers to win the conference title. She hit .632 (13-1-19) with seven blocks in a four-set win over Elmira Saturday. She then hit .565 (14-1-23) with three blocks in Sunday's five-set triumph over Stevens in the championship match.

Women’s Volleyball Rookie – N/A

Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Utica Raphael Warnon, Freshman – Rock Tavern, NY/Washingtonville

Raphael Warnon had a hand in three first place finishes for Utica on Saturday. The freshman finished three seconds ahead of the second-place finisher in the 100-yd backstroke (1:01.42). He also finished seven seconds ahead of the field in the 200-yd IM (2:13.41). He started the meet as a part of the winning 200-medley relay that clocked a time of 1:48.45 with his split of 27.69 in the 50 backstroke.

Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete – Hartwick Gwen Mathias, Sophomore – Sunland, GA/Southwestern Academy

Gwen Mathias led the Hartwick women with three individual event wins as the Hawks defeated Nazareth 190-106 on Saturday afternoon. She won the 1,000 free (11:00.33), the 200 back (2:14.05) and the 500 free (5:25.83) events. Mathias was also part of the winning 400 free relay where she posted a split time of 54.89.