Posted: Mar 07, 2011
The State University of New York Athletic Conference has selected the athletes of the week for the week of Feb. 28-March 6. It is the first week to recognize accomplishments in the spring sports of baseball and lacrosse. Softball will start next week and outdoor track and field will begin later this month. This is also the last week to recognize ice hockey, since the conference tournament is complete.
Go to athletes of the week for baseball, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse.
ICE HOCKEY - Plattsburgh
Josh Leis (Kitchener, Ontario/Kitchener Central Institute), sophomore
Sophomore Josh Leis (Kitchener, ONT) led fourth-seeded Plattsburgh to its 20th SUNYAC Championship where he was named the Tournament MVP. It was the first a No. 4 seed has won the conference tournament. Leis made 83 saves while allowing six goals in 209:20 in net over the three-game tournament. The Cardinals posted a 4-3 overtime win over Morrisville in the quarterfinals before upsetting #2 Geneseo 3-2 in overtime, setting the stage for the conference finals in front of a sold-out home crowd where Plattsburgh posted a 4-1 victory over sixth-seeded Fredonia. Plattsburgh earned the automatic bid into the 11-team NCAA tournament and will received a first round bye before hosting the winner of Norwich/Curry on Saturday March 12th.
Go to athletes of the week for baseball, men's lacrosse, women's lacrosse.
ICE HOCKEY - Plattsburgh
Josh Leis (Kitchener, Ontario/Kitchener Central Institute), sophomore
Sophomore Josh Leis (Kitchener, ONT) led fourth-seeded Plattsburgh to its 20th SUNYAC Championship where he was named the Tournament MVP. It was the first a No. 4 seed has won the conference tournament. Leis made 83 saves while allowing six goals in 209:20 in net over the three-game tournament. The Cardinals posted a 4-3 overtime win over Morrisville in the quarterfinals before upsetting #2 Geneseo 3-2 in overtime, setting the stage for the conference finals in front of a sold-out home crowd where Plattsburgh posted a 4-1 victory over sixth-seeded Fredonia. Plattsburgh earned the automatic bid into the 11-team NCAA tournament and will received a first round bye before hosting the winner of Norwich/Curry on Saturday March 12th.
Tom McCormick (Utica, NY/Utica Notre Dame), senior infield
Tom McCormick (Utica, NY) batted .555 (5-for-9) with two walks as Brockport started the season 2-1 with a road trip to New Jersey. He hit safely in all three games to extend his hitting streak to five straight contests, dating back to the end of last season. In a 3-0 loss to #2 Kean, McCormick registered two of the three hits for the Golden Eagles. Brockport got its first win with an 11-1 showing against Rowan as McCormick drove in two runs. Against Rutgers-Camden, Brockport fell behind 5-1 before McCormick’s bases-clearing, three run double in the seventh put the Golden Eagles up 7-5 en route to a 12-10 win.
BASEBALL PITCHER – Cortland
Travis Ratliff (Levitttown, NY/Division Avenue), senior
Travis Ratliff (Levittown, NY) allowed only one hit over five scoreless innings in Cortland's 14-4 win vs. St. Joseph's of Long Island. He struck out six and walked two, and did not give up a hit until the fifth inning. Ratliff has allowed only four hits and two runs in nine innings of work this season.
MEN’S LACROSSE PLAYER –Geneseo
Craig Lange (Syracuse, NY/C.B.A), senior attack
Craig Lange (Syracuse, NY) scored four goals and added four assists in two games as the Geneseo Knights started the season 2-1. Lange finished with five points (two goals and three assists) in the 14-4 win over Lycoming before registering three points in the 14-9 loss to Nazareth. With his eight points in the first two games, he moves into sixth place on the Geneseo scoring chart with 169 points and his four assists moved him into sixth place on the assist list with 84.
Travis Ratliff (Levittown, NY) allowed only one hit over five scoreless innings in Cortland's 14-4 win vs. St. Joseph's of Long Island. He struck out six and walked two, and did not give up a hit until the fifth inning. Ratliff has allowed only four hits and two runs in nine innings of work this season.
MEN’S LACROSSE PLAYER –Geneseo
Craig Lange (Syracuse, NY/C.B.A), senior attack
Craig Lange (Syracuse, NY) scored four goals and added four assists in two games as the Geneseo Knights started the season 2-1. Lange finished with five points (two goals and three assists) in the 14-4 win over Lycoming before registering three points in the 14-9 loss to Nazareth. With his eight points in the first two games, he moves into sixth place on the Geneseo scoring chart with 169 points and his four assists moved him into sixth place on the assist list with 84.
MEN’S LACROSSE GOALIE – Cortland
Mike Kaminski (Sayville, NY/Sayville), sophomore
Mike Kaminski (Sayville, NY/Sayville), sophomore
Mike Kaminski (Sayville, NY) helped lead nationally fourth-ranked Cortland to a pair of wins to open the season. In a 13-0 triumph at Widener, he stopped seven shots and did not allow a goal in 55:00 of action as the Red Dragons posted their first shutout since 2009, a 22-0 win over Morrisville St. In a 12-3 win versus Union last Saturday, Kaminski allowed just three goals in 54:15, making six saves for a .667 save percentage. In the two games, he recorded an .812 save percentage, a 1.64 GAA and five ground balls.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE PLAYER – Fredonia
Marissa Cussins (Corning, NY/Corning West), freshman midfield
Marissa Cussins (Corning, NY) helped Fredonia build an early lead and coast to an 18-10 victory over Allegheny to start the 2011 season. Cussins, playing in her first collegiate lacrosse game, had scored five goals all in the first half and added an assist to lead the Blue Devils.
Marissa Cussins (Corning, NY/Corning West), freshman midfield
Marissa Cussins (Corning, NY) helped Fredonia build an early lead and coast to an 18-10 victory over Allegheny to start the 2011 season. Cussins, playing in her first collegiate lacrosse game, had scored five goals all in the first half and added an assist to lead the Blue Devils.
WOMEN’S LACROSSE GOALIE – N/A
