The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) has announced its basketball and ice hockey weekly honors for performances during the week of January 2-8.
Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Justin Cooper, Cortland
(So, G - Pine Plains, N.Y.)
Cooper averaged 19.5 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in a 2-2 week for the Red Dragons. He shot 10-of-10 from the field - the best perfect field shooting by a Red Dragon since at least the 1999-2000 season - and hit all five of his free throws during a 27-point, 9-rebound effort in a win over New Paltz. He was also named to the all-tournament team at the Johns Hopkins Blue Jay Invitational after recording 20 points and 14 rebounds in an overtime win vs. Widener and 17 points and 11 rebounds in a 1-point loss to the host school in the finals.
Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Cara Adams, Oneonta
(Sr, G - Attleboro, MA)
Adams led Oneonta to a pair of comeback SUNYAC wins this weekend on the road at Oswego and Cortland. Versus Oswego, she led the Red Dragons with a career high 23 points that included five of nine from behind the arc. The five threes also gave her 172 for her career, which broke the program record of 171 set in 1998. In the win against Cortland, Adams led a second half comeback that erased an 11-point halftime deficit scoring 19 points and once again connecting on five threes making it 10 of 19 for the two games. Adams also added six rebounds, six assists and two steals on the week.
Ice Hockey Athlete of the Week - Dylan Vander Esch, Potsdam
(Jr, F - San Jose, Calif.)
Dylan Vander Esch helped the Potsdam men's hockey team to a weekend sweep of Nazareth College with a four-point weekend. He scored a goal in Friday's 6-3 victory over the Golden Flyers. He then broke out with two goals, including the game-tying and game-winning tallies, and an assist in the Bears 3-2 come-from-behind win on Saturday.
Goalie of the Week - David Jacobson, Oswego
(So, G - Calabasas, Calif.)
Jacobson appeared in the crease for both games during this weekend's PathFinder Bank Oswego State Hockey Classic. During Friday's game against the No. 4 University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugolds, the sophomore completely shutdown the opposing team for 45 minutes. Later in the third period, as the momentum shifted away from the Laker side, Jacobson remained solid in the goal. He maintained a .905 save percentage, while recording 19 saves in the 3-2 win. In the championship contest, Jacobson was nearly perfect, surrendering a single power play goal in No. 5 Oswego's 4-1 win. The Calabasas, Calif. native played all but seven seconds in the goal and tallied 25 saves to total 44 for the weekend. With a .962 save percentage in the latter game, he completed the weekend with a cumulative .936 save percentage. Jacobson was also named to the All-Tournament team.
Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week - Tyler Young, Potsdam
(Fr, F - Massena, N.Y.)
Freshman forward Tyler Young had a career weekend with four points in the Bears' two-game sweep at Nazareth College. Young scored two goals and recorded an assist in Friday's 6-3 win. He then added an assist in Saturday's 3-2 win.
