University of Albany

To view the full history of UAlbany Athletes of the Week, click here.

May 11
Female - Jazmen Newberry, Women's Tack & Field
Hometown: Kansas City, Mo.
Newberry broke out during the 2023 America East Outdoor Championships, scoring in four events, winning three, and setting personal-bests in two. She won the 200m in a personal-best, and freshman class program record 23.79, placed second in the 100m in a personal-best and freshman class program record 11.56, and won as a member of both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. For her efforts, Newberry was named Women's Outstanding Track Performer, Outstanding Rookie, and won the Coaches' Award, recognizing the highest individual scorer in the championship meet.
Male - Travis Williams, Men's Track & Field
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Williams completed a clean sweep of the short sprints event titles, winning both the 100m and 200m at the 2023 America East Outdoor Championships after winning the 60m and 200m indoors. Williams tied his wind-legal personal-best in the 100m, 10.22, to set a new championship meet record, and he also set a new championship meet record as a member of the men's 4x100m relay. Williams earned Men's Outstanding Track Performer honors, and won the Coaches' Award, recognizing the highest individual point scorer in the championship meet. 

May 3
Female - Bryar Hogg, Women's Lacrosse
Hometown: Oshawa, Ontario, Canada
Finishing the season undefeated in conference play, junior Bryar Hogg led the Great Danes to a victory against Bryant (4/29). The attacker scored four goals and added 2 assists in the 11-10 win.  
Male - Will Feil, Baseball
Hometown: East Williston, N.Y.
Will Feil started all three games as the Great Danes won their first series of the season. Leading the team with a .545 batting average, the redshirt-senior totaled six hits, including one double and two home runs, six RBI, and five runs. 

April 26
Female - Mariel Tee, Women's Golf
Hometown: Pasig, Philippines
Mariel Tee led the Great Danes at the MAAC Championship (4/21-4/23). After one round, Tee tied for second place shooting two-under par. She continued to lead through the second round with a 73 on the par-72 course. Hitting 78 strokes in the third round, the junior placed fifth overall in the tournament. Tee totaled nine birdies through three rounds for a team-high. 
Male - Jake Piseno, Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Liverpool, N.Y.
Jake Piseno dominated defense against Yale (4/21) and Merrimack (4/23). The long stick midfielder picked up five groundballs against Yale as well as initiating two caused turnovers. Piseno added two assists in a 13-11 win over Merrimack. The senior picked up seven groundballs and caused one turnover on the way to victory. 

April 19
Female - Katie Pascale, Women's Lacrosse
Hometown: Baldwinsville, N.Y.
Junior midfielder Katie Pascale led the offense in the game against Binghamton (4/15). Pascale scored three goals and contributed three assists to the team’s 16-11 victory to clinch a spot in the America East Championship Tournament. 
Male - Jack Pucci, Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Huntington, N.Y.
A senior on the team, Jack Pucci carried the team in a 13-7 victory over NJIT (4/15). The attackman scored four goals while adding one assist in an important win on their way to the conference championship tournament. 

April 13
Female - Sarah Falk, Women's Lacrosse
Hometown: Fairport, N.Y.
In a rare set of back-to-back games for women's lacrosse last week, Falk led all Great Danes' scorers with a total of 11 points.  She scored five goals and added one assist in a 15-14 thriller over UMBC (4/7), the Great Danes' 2022 America East semifinal opponent.  The very next day, Falk scored four goals and recorded one assist when, for the first time, UAlbany hosted second-ranked Northwestern (4/8).
Male - Garry Munro, Men's Track and Field
Hometown: Springfield Gardens, N.Y.
Munro earned two top-two finishes at the UMass Flagship Spring Open (4/8) last week, UAlbany first trip to Amherst in more than a decade.  First, Munro won the men's 100m dash, crossing the line in a wind-aided 10.51, matching his best time of the season so far.  Later, in the men's 200m dash, Munro placed second in 21.75.  In total, Munro accounted for 18 of the men's 47 points in the team competition.

April 6
Female - Amanda Chambers, Women's Track and Field
Hometown: Schenectady, N.Y.
Leading wire-to-wire to win the UConn Dogfight (4/1), graduate student Amanda Chambers set a new personal-best, 17:04:35, in the 5000m. She currently leads with the fastest 5000m time in the America East. 
Male - Peter Salit, Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Johns Creek, Ga.
In a 12-6 victory over UMBC (4/1), Salit dominated the offense contributing to half of the Great Danes’ goals. Leading the team in assists and points against the Retrievers, the midfielder scored three goals while adding three assists for six total points. In a breakout game for the junior, he tallied single-game career highs for each of his offensive stats (goals, assists, and points). 

March 29
Female - Caitlyn Mitros, Softball
Hometown: Warminster, Pa.
A senior outfielder, Caitlyn Mitros led the Great Danes through a 4-0 week with doubleheader sweeps over Siena (3.22) and UMass Lowell (3.26). Owning a .643 batting average, Mitros tallied a team-high nine hits, including one double and one triple, while adding four RBI. Her efforts helped UAlbany secure two wins, including a nine-inning game one and a four-run victory in game two, over the River Hawks to open conference play.
Male - Owen Silliman, Baseball
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.
A rookie Great Dane, Owen Silliman led with a .545 batting in the Great Danes' opening weekend of conference play. Starting all three games in the UMBC series, the outfielder totaled six hits in 11 at bats with one double and one triple for a total two RBI and four runs.

March 23
Female - Sierra Fretz, Softball
Hometown: Green Lane, Pa.
Fretz led the Great Danes with a .625 batting average at the Mount St. Mary's Softball Tournament. Seeing time in all three games, the sophomore hit two home runs, including a grand slam, with eight RBI to help complete a sweep over Lafayette.
Male - Silas Richmond, Men's Lacrosse
Hometown: Delta, British Columbia, Canada
Richmond, UAlbany's leading goal scorer through six games in 2023, had a career day in the Great Danes' conference opener against UMass Lowell. Richmond went off for a career-high four goals and recorded his first career assist, to lead the Great Danes in a 15-7 victory over the River Hawks. The freshman attack's four goals against UMass Lowell represented a bounce-back performance after being held without a point against Maryland's sixth-ranked defense.

March 16
Female - Shonly Wallace, Women's Lacrosse
Hometown: Mission, British Columbia, Canada
Wallace sparked women's lacrosse's offensive outburst at #18 Stanford, the team's first of two games on their trip to California.  Wallace scored each of UAlbany's first two goals of the game against the Cardinal, each within the first two minutes and 45 seconds after the opening draw.  Later in the game, Wallace scored three-straight in two minutes and two seconds of game time, including two just 20 seconds apart.  Though the Cardinal rallied to escape with a 21-20 victory, Wallace finished the game with seven goals, bringing her total to a team-leading 22 through seven games.
Male - Devan Kruzinski, Baseball
Hometown: Colonie, N.Y.
Devan Kruzinski stood at the top of the team in the Great Danes' weekend against Big East opponent, St. John's. Batting .308, the redshirt-senior led the team with five RBI, including one in a series-opening 9-5 win on Friday. Throughout the three-game series, Kruzinski totaled four hits, including a double, while starting all three games at shortstop.

March 8
Female - Kayla Cooper, Women's Basketball
Hometown: Frederick, Md.
Kayla Cooper led the Great Danes in each contest to start the America East Championship Tournament. Against the seven seed UMass Lowell, she totaled 13 points and eight rebounds to lead on both sides of the court. In the semifinal, the junior guard totaled 23 points against #3 Maine to help lead the Great Danes over the Black Bears and into the championship matchup. Cooper also led with two blocks and seven assists in the two contests combined.
Male - Dan Tauken, Baseball
Hometown: Congers, N.Y.
Dan Tauken was force in the batter's box against FDU. Starting one game, the junior transfer saw time in two contests against the Knights. Going 3-4 at the plate in the final game of the series, Tauken notched one home run in each game of the doubleheader, including his first as a Great Dane. Combining the doubleheader's stats, he totaled five RBI, four hits, and three runs.

February 23
Female - Fatima Lee, Women's Basketball
Hometown: Queens, N.Y.
Fatima Lee had an outstanding week to help the Great Danes to another 2-0 week with wins over UMBC (2/15) and Maine (2/18). The senior guard started both games, earning the first and second starts of her career, while notching a career-high 15 points at UMBC. One of three players compiling double-digit points against the Retrievers, she shot 4-10 from the field, including three three-pointers out of seven attempts.
Male - Travis Williams, Men's Track & Field
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Williams won two events at the 2023 America East Indoor Championship Meet, earning Most Outstanding Men's Track honors, as well as earning Co-Men's Coaches' Award honors, identifying the top individual scorer at the championship meet. Williams won the 60m and the 200m and set championship meet records in both events. His 6.64 in the 60m surpassed the previous meet record of 6.75 set in 2017 by Binghamton's Jon Alkins. His 20.89 in the 200m surpassed the previous record of 20.98 set in 2020 by UAlbany's Jan Michael Gutierrez Almedina. Gutierrez Almedina's time was also the UAlbany program record, and Williams even bested Gutierrez Almedina's all-conditions program record of 20.95w set during the 2019 outdoor season. Williams is just the second UAlbany competitor to break 21 seconds in the 200m.

February 15
Female - Ellen Hahne, Women's Basketball
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
Ellen Hahne was a force on the Great Dane defense in a 2-0 week against Bryant (2/8) and Binghamton (2/11). The graduate student led UAlbany with 13 rebounds and two steals while adding six points and two assists against the Bulldogs. Hosting the Bearcats, Hahne was all over the court, compiling 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, and two steals. Overall, the guard totaled 17 points, 18 rebounds, four assists, four steals, and one block this week.
Male - Japannah Kellogg, Men's Basketball
Hometown: Ames, Iowa
A junior transfer, Kellogg totaled a season-high 15 points against Bryant (2/8). Finishing just behind Drumgoole Jr's 16 points, the forward shot 7-11 coming off the bench against the Bulldogs. He added four rebounds, including three offensive, in 16 minutes of play.

February 9
Female - Dominique Clarke, Women's Track & Field
Hometown: Kingston, Jamaica
Clarke placed second in the 60m dash at the Bruce Lehane Scarlet & White Invitational on February 4.  Her finishing time of 7.38 was a personal-best by one-tenth of a second, and surpassed the program's all-time record in the event, originally 7.40 set twice during the 2018 season, first by Dayleen Santana Rodriguez and later by Stephanie Osuji.  Clarke now leads both the America East and the Northeast Region.
Male - Travis Williams, Men's Track & Field
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Williams earned an invitation to Harvard's Crimson Elite Invitational for the 60m dash on February 3.  After qualifying first overall for finals, Williams won the event with a personal-best 6.64.  The mark surpassed the previous school record of 6.66 set earlier this season by teammate Shak Williams.  Travis leads the America East and Northeast region, and has now recorded six performances in the 60m of 6.70 or faster this season.

February 2
Female - Grace Heeps, Women's Basketball
Hometown: East Greenbush, N.Y.
Heeps broke down the wall and played at the top of her team in a victory over New Hampshire (1/25). Going 4-6 in fied goals, all of which were three-pointers, she tallied a game-high .667 shooting percentage. Additionally, Heeps almost doubled her previous career-high of four assists with seven against UNH. Overall, the senior guard totaled 12 points and seven assists against the Wildcats.
Male - Ja'lil Reynolds, Men's Track & Field
Hometown: Hopewell Junction, N.Y.
Reynolds joined a handful of his teammates at Utica University's Blue and Orange Invitational last weekend.  Of the 10 Great Danes to make the trip, Reynolds was the only one to record a victory in his event, winning the men's high jump with a mark of 6-09.00.  The height was a personal-best for Reynolds by nearly three inches.  Reynolds now leads the America East in the event and ranks in a tie for 10th in indoor program history.

January 25
Female - Ludith Campos, Women's Track & Field
Hometown: Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Track & field competed at Boston University's Battle of Beantown on January 21, their first meet of 2023 and their first meet since departing for the winter intersession in mid-December. Campos won the women's weight throw, setting a season-best mark of 64-11.00, the second-best mark of her career. Campos leads the America East in her event by more than three feet, ranks second in the Northeast Region, and 30th in NCAA Division I.
Male - Nicardo Blake, Men's Track & Field
Hometown: Mount Vernon, N.Y.
In the track & field team's first meet in six weeks, the Battle of Beantown at Boston University on January 21, Blake won the men's 400m dash, one of seven event victories the Great Danes claimed during the meet. Blake finished with a season-best time of 48.39, his third-best indoor time in his career. Blake currently leads the America East by more than one second, and ranks second in the Northeast Region.

January 18
Female - Helene Haegerstrand, Women's Basketball
Hometown: Stockholm, Sweden
After recently crossing the 1000 career point mark at New Hampshire (1/1), Haegerstrand went one step further to secure a new career-high with 28 points, while shooting 10-11 from the field and 4-4 from the three-point line, against NJIT (1/14). In the most recent week within a six-game win streak, Haegerstrand led the Great Danes with 25.5 points per game, a .741 field goal percentage, and three blocks. The senior forward also average 4.0 rebound per game and 1.5 assists per game in UAlbany's games against Bryant (1/11) and NJIT.
Male - Gerald Drumgoole Jr., Men's Basketball
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
The Great Danes' leading scorer, Drumgoole tallied a career-high 29 points against NJIT (1/14). In a week that saw two road trips, to Bryant (1/11)and NJIT, the senior forward notched a team-high 10 rebounds with a game-high five rebounds in each contest. He added a team-high four steals throughout the week.

December 8
Female - Amanda Chambers, Women's Track & Field
Hometown: Schenectady, N.Y.
Chambers was one of 13 Great Danes to win an event in the team's indoor season opener last weekend at Army West Point's Carlton Crowell Invitational.  Chambers set a personal best of 9:55.13 in victory in the women's 3,000m, an improvement of nearly 90 seconds on her previous collegiate best.  The time also set a new meet record by more than 13 seconds.
Male - Travis Williams, Men's Track & Field
Hometown: Bronx, N.Y.
Williams ran a personal best in both rounds of the men's 60m at Army West Point's Carlton Crowell Invitational.  In the preliminary round, Williams qualified first overall in 6.77, matching the time of teammate Shak Williams in another heat, but claiming the top spot by one-thousandth of a second.  In the finals, T. Williams finished second in 6.67, another personal best, one-hundredth of a second behind S. Williams.  Both sprinters surpassed the existing meet record and UAlbany school record, and currently rank second and third, respectively, among all NCAA Division I competitors in the event.

November 23
Female - Grace Heeps, Women's Basketball
Hometown: East Greenbush, N.Y.
Going 1-1 with a win over Navy (11/16) and a loss to Colgate (11/19), Grace Heeps led the team with 36.2 minutes per game. The senior guard, who continues her role as the vocal leader, owned team-high with three steals and six assists while adding 11 rebounds and 11 points through the two contests.
Male - Gerald Drumgoole Jr., Men's Basketball
Hometown: Rochester, N.Y.
Gerald Drumgoole Jr. helped the Great Danes to a 1-1 week including a double-digit victory over Union (11/14). The senior forward led the team with seven assists and five steals while adding 26 points and eight rebounds.

November 17
Female - Sophia Schoonmaker, Field Hockey
Hometown: Marbletown, N.Y.
For the first time since 2014, the UAlbany field hockey team made it to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating the fourth overall seed and host, Michigan, in the First Round contest on Friday, November 11, 2022. After tying the score with just over three minutes left in the game, Sophia Schoonmaker took a breakaway pass from Elaina Burchell before working her way into the circle. With 55 seconds on the overtime clock, the rookie made a SportsCenter Top-10 play lifting the ball into the net for the game-winning goal.
Male - Shafique Wilson, Men's Soccer
Hometown: Kleinburg, Ontario
In the UAlbany men's soccer team's first appearance in the America East semifinal round since 2017, goalkeeper Shafique Wilson anchored UAlbany's defense to a second shutout of #8 Vermont in 10 days. Wilson recorded five saves against the second-seeded Catamounts en route to his eighth shutout of the season, while extending the Great Danes' shutout streak to 505 minutes of game time. Four of Wilson's saves came after halftime, and he and the Great Dane defense withstood an 18-shot onslaught from Vermont to counterattack in the 81st minute to set up Jeff Thielmann's game-winning goal.

November 9
Female - Blanca Orsola, Field Hockey
Hometown: Barcelona, Spain
A sophomore forward, Blanca Orsola leads the field hockey team with 12 assists, a number that is nationally ranked in the top-15 with .67 per game. In the Great Danes' semifinal game, Orsola fed both goals - the first goal and the go-ahead goal - leading to their win and advancement to the America East Championships. In the championship game, UAlbany was down for most of the second half before Orsola collected a rebounded shot, dodged the goalie, and sent the ball into the net with just over two minutes on the clock, tying the game. Because of Orsola's goal, the Great Danes were able to bring the game into overtime and eventually shootouts to win and become the 2022 America East Champions.
Male - Mohamed Soumah, Men's Soccer
Hometown: New Paltz, N.Y.
Mohamed scored his first career goal as a Great Dane in the team's America East quarterfinal matchup against six-seed NJIT.  In the 74th minute, Soumah broke behind the Highlanders' defensive line to find himself one-on-one with the NJIT goalkeeper.  Soumah's shot sailed into the back of the net to break the scoreless tie with just over 15 minutes remaining.  The Great Danes went on to win by a final score of 2-0 to advance to the semifinal round.

October 26
Female - Emily Jozak, Women's Soccer
Hometown: Wayne, N.J.
Freshman forward Emily Jozak notched her seventh goal of the 2022 season in a 1-0 victory over former America East rival Hartford in women's soccer's regular-season home finale, adding to her team-leading total.  Jozak's seven goals on the season rank tied for seventh-highest in a single season in women's soccer's Division I era, and already ranks in the top-25 in program history for a career.  Jozak, who tied the program's single-game records in goals scored and points recorded earlier this season, ranks tied for third in the America East this season with one game remaining.
Male - Andrew Weiner, Men's Soccer
Hometown: North Bellmore, N.Y.
In the 89th minute of UAlbany's game against NJIT, junior forward Andrew Weiner found himself open in the Highlanders' box.  He received the ball and took a shot that beat the NJIT goalkeeper to break the scoreless tie and ultimately give UAlbany the victory.  Additionally, the goal and the resulting win clinched men's soccer's spot in the 2022 America East Tournament.

October 19
Female - Katelin Richards, Women's Golf
Hometown: Fernandina Beach, Fla.
Richards headed into the weekend's tournament in the second qualifying spot. On the par-72 course, the junior finished with a 77 on day one grabbing the second-place spot on the team. After a +2 performance on day one, Richards improved to finish seventh overall with a total stroke count of 151 at the SHU Fall Classic.
Male - Thomas Greaney, Football
Hometown: Bedford, Mass.
A leading receiver for the Great Danes, Greaney tallied a team-high six receptions for 110 yards. The senior scored two touchdowns in the Homecoming game on October 15. 

October 12
Female - Hannah Rowe, Volleyball
Hometown: Saxonburg, Pa.
Rowe has worked to be one of the most productive hitters on the volleyball team. This weekend alone, she led the team with 3.5 kills per set and finished second with a .354 hitting percentage. Also seeing time in the back row, the junior added 15 digs, a number good for second on the team, and two service aces. On the net, Rowe added two blocks. Overall, she tallied a team-high 24.0 points (4.0 per set) throughout the 1-1 weekend.
Male - Reese Poffenbarger, Football
Hometown: Middletown, Md.
Named the CAA Rookie of the Week for the third consecutive week, Poffenbarger led his team at Monmouth (10/8). The freshman quarterback threw one touchdown and ran one into the endzone during the four-touchdown game. Overall, Poffenbarger totaled 263 passing yards and 70 rushing yards.

October 5
Female - Floor de Ruiter, Field Hockey
Hometown: Noordwick, Holland
A sophomore midfielder, Floor was essential as the Great Danes won two games in double-overtime throughout the weekend. In addition to scoring the game-winning goal against Vermont (9/30) in the second overtime period, she was all over the field making sure UAlbany had the advantage against #16 Boston College.
Male - Andrew Weiner, Men's Soccer
Hometown: North Bellmore, N.Y.
Andrew scored UAlbany's first goal in their Alumni Night game against America East newcomer Bryant over the weekend, putting the Great Danes up 1-0 in the 56th minute after a scoreless first half. It was Weiner's second goal of the season, and ultimately the game-winner, as UAlbany went on to win by a final score of 3-0.

September 28
Female - Luisa Knapp, Field Hockey
Hometown: Bietigheim, Germany
A graduate transfer from Kent State, Knapp found her stride in the Great Danes first conference contest of 2022 - California (9/23). The forward saw her first start against the Golden Bears and led the team with two goals and two assists, contributing to all but one score of the contest. Her first goal was scored within one minute of play and her second was a diving tip to change the direction of a pass. Both assists were earned as her position as one of two corner inserters for the Great Danes.
Male - Joseph Greaney, Football
Hometown: Bedford, Mass.
A defensive lineman for the Great Danes, Greaney notched a big game against CCSU (9/24). In addition to his three assisted tackles, the sophomore picked up a fumble on the 23 yard line and ran for 77 yards to score a touchdown. UAlbany defeated the Blue Devils, 45-26, for their first win of the season.

September 21
Female - Alison Smisdom, Field Hockey
Hometown: Edegem, Belgium
Smisdom contributed to two goals this weekend and added a defensive save against Yale (9/18). After the Bulldogs earned a corner within 30 seconds of play, Smisdom stopped the ball from going into the net for an early goal. Both goals she contributed to were during penalty corners. In the third period, Smisdom assisted a goal and, in the fourth period, she shot the ball hard from the top for the Great Danes' final goal of the contest.
Male - Todd Sibley, Football
Hometown: Akron, Ohio
Starting UAlbany's game at Fordham (9/17), Sibley rushed for an overall 122 yards. A running back, the graduate student ran for a season-high 75 yards in one run, leading to the Great Danes' second touchdown. In total, Sibley scored half of UAlbany's touchdowns against the Rams (three).

September 14
Female - Hannah Mangan, Field Hockey
Hometown: Dublin, Ireland
Senior goalie Hannah Mangan recently took her spot as the starting goalie for the field hockey team. Over the past weekend, while in goal, Mangan let in just one goal and notched seven saves to tally two wins against Colgate (9/9) and Cornell (9/11).
Male - Daniel Shannon, Men's Soccer
Hometown: New York, N.Y.
Shannon earned both his first career shutout and victory as UAlbany's goalkeeper in the team's 1-0 victory over Ivy Leage opponent Penn on September 9.  Shannon recorded four saves in the match, against 21 total shots from the Quakers' offense.

September 7
Female - Emily Jozak, Women's Soccer
Hometown: Wayne, N.J.
Freshman forward Emily Jozak not only scored her first career goal as a Great Dane in women's soccer's first victory of the season, 3-1 over Rider, she scored her first three.  Jozak's hat trick was just the fourth in UAlbany's Division I era, matching the efforts, as well as the single game program record three goals and six points, from all-time leading scorer Mariah Williams from her 2017 match against Maine, and Shayla Bergeron twice during the 2012 season.
Male - AJ Simon, Football
Hometown: Tobyhanna, Pa.
A junior, AJ Simon shined in his first contest as a Great Dane. A Division II transfer from Bloomsburg University, he sat atop the depth chart ahead of UAlbany's opening game against Baylor University. Taking full control of his opportunities, Simon tallied two solo sacks for a loss of six yards at Baylor.