SUNYAC Athletes of the Week - September 22, 2025
SYRACUSE, N.Y. - The SUNYAC releases week four of its fall Athletes of the Week for the 2025 season. The conference honors 13 student-athletes across five different institutions for their performances during the week of September 15-21.
Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week – Oliver Melara-Perez, New Paltz
Melara-Perez led the men's team with a first place, with a wire to wire finish, and a time of 26:43.9 in the 8k this weekend at the Fred Pavlich Invitational hosted by Bard College Saturday.
Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week – Elena Gaffney, Oswego
The Lakers were lead Saturday by Gaffney who broke another Oswego Record with her 6k time. She finished 4th overall in a field of over 250 runners with a time of 22:15.4. This time sets the new all-time mark for the Women's 6k in Lakers history. She was the third overall Division III runner and the first SUNYAC Athlete across the finish line.
Field Hockey Offensive Athlete of the Week – Lilly Bagg, Morrisville
Bagg led Morrisville to a 5-4 overtime win over Keuka on Friday afternoon, scoring three goals, including the overtime winner. Her first tally came in the third quarter on a penalty stroke, before posting the game tying score with 1:05 to go to send the game into extra time. In the overtime period, Bagg made a defensive stop in the midfield for Morrisville and carried the ball down the center of the circle for the reverse stick game winning score.
Field Hockey Defensive Athlete of the Week - Emma Morgan, Cortland
Morgan had a stellar week in goal for the Red Dragons, making 16 saves on 17 shots for a .941 save percentage, a 0.49 goals-against average, and one shutout in two games. In a 1-0 shutout victory over William Smith on Saturday, the senior stopped all nine shots on goal that she faced. She stopped a penalty stroke with the game scoreless in the third quarter, and also made three clutch saves in the fourth quarter to preserve the victory. Morgan also stopped 7-of-8 shots in a 1-0 overtime defeat at nationally 23rd-ranked Rochester on Wednesday evening.
Men's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week – Diego Rivera, Buffalo State
Rivera posted another dominant week to help the Buffalo State men's soccer team earn a pair of shutout wins over Houghton and Hilbert. Across both games, Rivera totaled four goals and an assist with two goals in each matchup. He set the Buffalo State program record for most goals and most points over a three-year career as he currently stands with 46 goals and 110 points. The previous records were both held by Theo Pencic with 41 goals and 103 points. Rivera also reached 100 points for his career in the win over Houghton.
Men's Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week – Kyle Rose, Oswego
Rose was a wall in goal for the Lakers this week not allowing a goal and helping Oswego secure their first win of the season. On Wednesday at Marywood he saved 4 shots and then at home against SUNY Delhi he added 7 more saves. Rose currently leads the SUNYAC in saves with 33 and is tied for 3rd in svae percentage (.846).
Women's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week – Mia Baldinger, New Paltz
Baldinger was instrumental in the Hawks' two wins on the week against two good regional opponents. She controlled the midfield and helped build up play in both victories, clocking in a full 90 minutes in both contests. Against Farmingdale, she assisted on the game-winning goal, taking her defender on, one-on-one, getting endline and sending a dime of a cross to teammate Brooke Kelleher for the goal. Against RPI she scored the go-ahead goal to start the second half. Off a throw, Baldinger received the ball, turned and was given space, making the Engineers pay, she ripped a banger from 35-yards out over the goalies head top corner for the highlight goal, igniting what was the 2-1 win. She led the team in shots against RPI as well, totaling four, two on goal, while tallying three shots against the Rams Wednesday.
Women's Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week – Olivia Rouse, Cortland
Rouse registered a 2-0 record, eight saves, and a pair of shutouts in two games for the Red Dragons last week. In a 4-0 win at St. Lawrence on Saturday afternoon, the senior made six saves while playing the first 82 minutes, including three saves in each half. Rouse also registered a two-save shutout in a 1-0 win over Alfred University on Wednesday, with one save coming in the first half with the game scoreless and another save in the 85th minute to preserve the shutout.
Women's Tennis Singles Athlete of the Week – Patrycja Filonik, New Paltz
Filonik won both of her matches this weekend without letting up a single point. Filonik won her match against Cortland in two 6-0 sets, as well as her match against Fredonia.
Women's Tennis Doubles Team of the Week – Sam Ostrander and Justine Stanejko, New Paltz
The dynamic duo of Stanejko and Ostrander went 2-0 on the weekend against conference opponents beating Cortland 6-1. The pair didn't let up a point Saturday winning their match against Fredonia 6-0. The doubles matches help the Hawks sweep both Cortland and Fredonia 7-0.
Women's Volleyball Offensive Athlete of the Week - Kira Pirrera, Cortland
Pirrera averaged 4.6 kills per set over 11 sets and recorded a .248 attack percentage and 23 digs as Cortland finished 3-0 at the Messiah University Invitational. She matched her career high with 22 kills and added nine digs and four blocks in a four-set win over Gettysburg, posted 18 kills, a .317 attack percentage and 11 digs in a four-set victory versus Messiah, and finished with 11 kills in a sweep of Oberlin.
Women's Volleyball Defensive Athlete of the Week - Anna Lynch, Cortland
Lynch totaled 17 blocks (1.6 per set) during a 3-0 weekend for Cortland at the Messiah University Invitational. She recorded a career-high seven blocks in a four-set win over Messiah on Friday. On Saturday, she had six blocks along with five kills in a four-set victory versus Gettysburg and registered four blocks and a career-high 10 kills in a sweep of Oberlin.
