CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has picked its Athletes of the Week for men's and women's swimming and diving and men's and women's indoor track and field. Eight athletes were recognized for their performances during the week of January 16-22.
Men's Swimming and Diving - Diver of the Week - Arron Carlson, Fredonia
(Senior, Diver - LeRoy, N.Y.)
Carlson, a senior, improved to 18-0 this season with an 11-dive score of 555.15 points to win the 3-meter board at the Trinity Invitational. It included a personal-best 222.05 points in the five-dive voluntary segment. He also won the 1-meter competition with a score of 554.55 points for 11 dives. Carlson was in the lead from the first dive and increased the margin of victory throughout the 1-meter event. His six-dive 1-meter optional score was 356.30 points.
Men's Swimming and Diving - Swimmer of the Week- Dylan Burns, Cortland
(Sr., - Cornwall, NY)
Burns won the 100-yard backstroke (55.01) and 50-yard freestyle (22.48) and anchored the winning 200-yard medley relay (1:42.70), which won by 0.22 seconds, in a dual meet at Oswego Wednesday. Burns then won the 100-yard backstroke (54.60) Saturday in a dual at Division II Le Moyne.
Women's Swimming and Diving - Diver of the Week - Meghan Bartlett, Fredonia
(Senior, Diver - Johnstown, N.Y.)
Bartlett led wire-to-wire while posting the second-highest 1-meter scores in Fredonia women's diving history at the Trinity Invitational. She earned 296.35 points for six dives and 491.55 points for 11 dives. Only multiple All-American Sarah Ficarro has posted higher point totals among Blue Devil women. Bartlett was also second in the 3-meter event the previous day with 454.40 points.
Women's Swimming and Diving - Swimmer of the Week - Sydney Ng, Geneseo
(SUNY Geneseo, - Staten Island, N.Y.)
Ng had a solid week as the Knights won a pair of dual meets, including a convincing 146-95 victory over No. 16 Rochester on Friday. Opposite the visiting Yellowjackets, she was unbeaten in the 200 free (1:57.69) and the 200 back (2:07.99). Ng also was a three-time winner in Saturday's 182-113 win at Oswego, finishing first in the 100 back (1:02.26) and the 500 free (5:25.78) while also adding a leg to the winning 200 medley relay (1:55.11).
Men's Indoor Track and Field - Field Athlete of the Week - Connor Christopherson, Cortland
(Sr., - Morrisonville, N.Y.)
Christopherson set SUNYAC and school records in the heptathlon with his score of 5,140 points at the Cornell Upstate Challenge. The score currently ranks first nationally in Division III. He scored 848 points in the 60-meter hurdles (ECAC-qualifying 8.55 seconds), 775 points in the 1,000 meters (2:49.07), and 765 points in the 60-meter dash (7.34 seconds). Christopherson also tallied 758 points with an ECAC-qualifying high jump of 1.95 meters (6' 4.75"). He finished second overall, and was the top collegiate finisher, at the predominantly Division I meet.
Men's Indoor Track and Field Track Athlete of the Week - Isaac Garcia-Cassani, Geneseo
(SUNY Geneseo, - Holbrook, N.Y.)
Garcia-Cassani posted the third-fastest time in the nation this season after placing fifth in the invitational section of the 3,000-meter race at the Upstate Challenge, hosted by Cornell. He was the lone Division III competitor in the race.
Women's Indoor Track and Field - Field Athlete of the Week - Dayonna Holmes, Buffalo State
(Sr, Jumps - Rochester)
Holmes was a winner in the long jump to highlight the docket for Buffalo State in its indoor track and field opening meet today at the Houghton Highlanders Invitational. Holmes posted the 16th-best mark in Division III so far this season at 5.44 meters to win the long jump. She also placed fourth in the 300-meter dash (42.76).
Women's Indoor Track and Field - Track Athlete of the Week - Stephanie Boucher, Plattsburgh
(Sr., Middle Distance - New Hartford, N.Y.)
Plattsburgh State senior Stephanie Boucher posted two ECAC qualifying times for the Cardinals across two meets on the weekend. Boucher clocked what is currently the second-fastest time in NCAA Division III this season in the 800-meter run Friday at the NYC Gotham Cup, charting an ECAC-qualifying time of 2:14.66 on a banked track (2:16.21 flat track conversion). She placed eighth out of 67 runners in a field that included several NCAA Division I competitors. Boucher followed that up with a second-place finish in the 400-meter dash on Saturday at the Hamilton College Continental Invitational, clocking an ECAC-qualifying mark of 1:00.78 that currently ranks second in the SUNYAC. Also at the Hamilton College Continental Invitational, she led off the Cardinals' first-place 4x400-meter relay (4:14.45).
