SUNYAC Athletes of the Week - September 2, 2025

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC announces its first fall Athletes of the Week for the 2025 season. 13 student-athletes across six different institutions are being honored for their performances during the week of August 25 - August 31.

Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week – Noah Holden, Buffalo State
Holden picked up the win in Buffalo State's season opener at the annual Hilbert Invite (5k course) with a time of 16:25.3. That mark is the fastest time for Buffalo State on a 5k course since at least 2007.

Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week – Elena Gaffney, Oswego
Gaffney finished first overall ahead of 59 other women in the womens 4k on Saturday at the Le Moyne Frank Dillon Memorial XC Invitational. She ran a time of 15:03.0 which set a new school record for the Lakers in the women's 4k. Gaffneys time was also a course record for Le Moyne College.

Field Hockey Offensive Athlete of the Week – Marli McDorman, Salisbury
The third-ranked Salisbury University field hockey team opened the 2025 slate with a convincing 5-2 victory over the Stockton Ospreys on Sunday afternoon at Sea Gull Stadium. Marli McDorman registered her first career hat trick, scoring three goals on five shots. It was McDorman's fourth career multi-goal game and first since a two-goal effort on Nov. 1, 2023, against Mary Washington.

Field Hockey Defensive Athlete of the Week - Sam Krauthiem, Oswego
Oswego opened their season by hosting Wilkes in a tough loss. The Lakers returning goalie, Krauthiem kept the Colonels at bay by making 12 saves with a .857 percentage continuing her impressive play from last season.

Men's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week – Diego Rivera, Buffalo State
The reigning SUNYAC Player of the Year picked up the season right where he left off tallying two goals and an assist to propel No. 16-ranked men's soccer to wins over NJCU and Geneseo. Rivera tallied a goal in each contest and also had an assist on the game-winning goal against the Knights.

Men's Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week – Jordan Ott, Cortland
Ott had a strong opening weekend in goal for the Red Dragons, recording a 0.50 goals-against average and a .909 save percentage across two Cortland road victories. In a 4-0 win at Rochester on Friday evening, Ott stopped all five shots he faced, with all five of the saves coming with the game scoreless. He followed it up with five more saves in a 2-1 win at St. Lawrence on Sunday, including a clutch save in the 80th minute just minutes before Cortland scored the game-winning goal.

Women's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week – Courtney Key, Oswego
The Lakers opened their season with a home win over Wilkes and were boosted to victory thanks to two goals from the senior, Key. She socred her first goal off a corner kick using her right foot to fire it past the keeper. Later in the first half, Key fired a header past the keeper for her second goal of the game giving the Lakers control that they would never relinquish.

Women's Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week – Olivia Rouse, Cortland
Rouse had an excellent debut for the Red Dragons, making four saves and not allowing a goal in a 1-0 shutout victory over Arcadia on Sunday afternoon. The senior made a diving save late in the first half, and stopped three more shots in the final 20 minutes of the contest to preserve the one-goal victory.

Women's Tennis Singles Athlete of the Week – Avery Borman, Oswego
At the number 1 singles position, Borman started her season with a decisvie win over her opponent from Alfred Unviersity. She won 6-2, and 7-3 respectviely helping the Lakers earn their first win of the season in a clean sweep of the Saxons.

Women's Tennis Doubles Team of the Week – Kristy Cantwell & Abigail Macdougal, Plattsburgh
Kristy Cantwell & Abigail Macdougal went 1-0 on the week at No. 3 doubles for the Cardinals collecting the 6-1 win over competitive Division II Saint Michael's College.

Women's Volleyball Offensive Athlete of the Week - Isabelle Eskierka, Morrisville
Eskierka led Morrisville offensively to a 4-0 opening weekend record from her outside hitter position. The sophomore collected a total 80 kills, 98 points, assisted four, served 15 aces and had 34 digs across four matches, while adding five total blocks to her tallies. Eskierka hit a total .341 across the weekend with a match high 32 kills in a four set grueling win over Western New England, setting a new match record for the Mustangs in kills in a four-set match. Eskierka averaged 5.71 kills and 8.3 points per set across the weekend.

Women's Volleyball Defensive Athlete of the Week - Kayla Sheasby, Morrisville
Sheasby helped lead Morrisville to a 4-0 weekend start with her play at libero across four matches on the weekend. The senior collected a total 92 digs for an average of 6.57 per set, while contributing to the Mustangs scoring with seven service aces, four kills and 23 assists. Sheasby had a match high 33 digs in a closely contested 3-1 battle with Western New England, after adding 24 in a 3-1 win over Geneva earlier Sunday morning.