ALBANY, N.Y. - UAlbany field hockey's Mara Küskes has been named the America East Defensive Player of the Week, announced Tuesday. A native of Mönchengladbach, Germany, Küskes backed a defense that shut out Bryant, 2-0, in their first home conference matchup of 2026. She added a defensive save and a goal against Cornell on the way to the Great Danes' 3-2 victory. This is Küskes' second weekly award this season. In total, the Great Danes have earned five weekly honors in 2026. UAlbany will return to action at home to host Vermont on Friday (Oct. 16). Keep up with all of the latest news, highlights, and insights on UAlbany field hockey by following the team on X, Instagram, and Facebook.