November 16, 2015
SUNYAC selects winter athletes of the week for the week ending Nov. 15
CORTLAND, N.Y. -Â
MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK - John Decker (JR) Â
Geneseo, Guard (Lincolndale, N.Y./Somers)
John Decker scored 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Geneseo to an 89-85 victory at Medaille in the season-opener on Saturday. Making his first appearance in a Knights' uniform after transferring from Division II Dominican, Decker led all scorers on a day that included a 14-of-16 showing from the free-throw line, while nine of his game-high rebounding total came on the defensive glass. He scored 25 of his points points on 7-of-11 shooting and 9-of-10 free throw attempts in the second half as Geneseo earned the four-point win.Â
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kit Small (JR)
New Paltz, Guard/Forward (Slingerlands, NY/Academy of the Holy Names)
Junior guard/forward Kit Small was a big component in the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team's 2015-16 season opening at the Skidmore Tournament. Small contributed a team-high 20 points and shot 5-of-7 from the field in the 62-45 win over Skidmore College on Friday. Small was also a key player in the 72-44 win over St. Joseph's College (Maine), leading the team in points (15) and rebounds (12) to earn her first double-double of the season.
FEMALE DIVER OF THE WEEK - Miranda Fergus (SR) Â
Cortland (Millbrook, N.Y./Millbrook)
Miranda Fergus won both diving events in Cortland's home dual-meet loss to Geneseo. She won the 3-meter board with 264.40 points and the 1-meter board with an NCAA zone qualifying score of 263.50 points.
FEMALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK - Cassidy Griger (SR) Â
New Paltz (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown Central)
New Paltz senior Cassidy Griger won two individual events and participated on an event-winning relay in the Hawks' 128-77 triumph over NCAA Division II Pace University on Saturday afternoon at Elting Pool. Griger won the 200 freestyle in 1:59.26, which is the top time in the SUNYAC in that event so far this season, and followed that up with a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:18.21), posting the second-fastest time in the SUNYAC in the 500 freestyle so far this season. Griger closed out the meet anchoring New Paltz's first-place 400 freestyle relay (3:45.65), splitting a 55.78 in the 100 freestyle.
MALE DIVER OF THE WEEK - Samuel Randall (SO) Â
Geneseo (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland)
Samuel Randall swept both diving events as Geneseo defeated host Cortland, 218-82, on Saturday. He posted the day's top score and  NCAA zone qualifying scores on 1-meter (282.50) as well as on the 3-meter (310.60).
MALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK - Delvyne Santiago (SR) Â
Potsdam (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle)
Delvyne Santiago led the Bears on Saturday against Brockport with three individual wins and one relay victory. He touched the wall first in the 1000 Free (11:17.81), 200 Fly (2:15.67) and the 500 Free (5:17.34). Santiago teamed up with Tyler Zapisek, Chris Carlini and Ricky Blackburn to capture the win in the 400 Medley Relay with a time of 3:52.29.
ICE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK -  Dylan Vander Esch (SO) Â
Potsdam, Forward (San Jose, Calif./Hartford Wolfpack)
Dylan Vander Esch recorded another four points this weekend as the Bears remained undefeated with another SUNYAC sweep. On Friday, the sophomore recorded two goals, including the game-winner in Potsdam's 4-2 win at Cortland. He then scored a third and assisted on the game-winner as the Bears upset No. 11 Oswego State. Vander Esch is currently second in the SUNYAC in scoring with six goals and three assists for nine points and tied for the lead in goals.
ICE HOCKEY GOALIE OF THE WEEK - Brendan McMenimen (SO) Â
Potsdam, Goalie (Merrimack, Mass./Islander Hockey Club)
Brendan McMenimen was spectacular in two wins that kept both the Bears and himself perfect this season. He stopped 91 of 94 shots for a .968 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against-average. He made a career-high 47 saves in a 4-2 win at Cortland on Friday night and followed it up with a 44-save performance in Saturday night's 4-1 upset of No. 10 Oswego. He is second in the SUNYAC and 15th in the nation with a 1.66 goals-against-average and second in the conference and sixth in the nation with a .951 save percentage.
ICE HOCKEY ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Pat Egan (FR) Â
Plattsburgh, Forward (Rochester, N.Y./Lone Star Brahams)
Pat Egan picked up three points on the weekend on one goal and two assists. On Friday, Egan had the primary assist on the game-tying goal to tie No. 11 Oswego 4-4 and force overtime after trailing by two goals entering the third period. In extra time Egan would net the game-winner to give the Cardinals a 5-4 (OT) win. On Saturday Egan would pick up the primary assist on Plattsburgh's third goal to help the Cardinals edge Cortland 5-1 after being tied 1-1 through two periods.
MEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK - John Decker (JR) Â
Geneseo, Guard (Lincolndale, N.Y./Somers)
John Decker scored 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead Geneseo to an 89-85 victory at Medaille in the season-opener on Saturday. Making his first appearance in a Knights' uniform after transferring from Division II Dominican, Decker led all scorers on a day that included a 14-of-16 showing from the free-throw line, while nine of his game-high rebounding total came on the defensive glass. He scored 25 of his points points on 7-of-11 shooting and 9-of-10 free throw attempts in the second half as Geneseo earned the four-point win.Â
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK – Kit Small (JR)
New Paltz, Guard/Forward (Slingerlands, NY/Academy of the Holy Names)
Junior guard/forward Kit Small was a big component in the State University of New York at New Paltz women's basketball team's 2015-16 season opening at the Skidmore Tournament. Small contributed a team-high 20 points and shot 5-of-7 from the field in the 62-45 win over Skidmore College on Friday. Small was also a key player in the 72-44 win over St. Joseph's College (Maine), leading the team in points (15) and rebounds (12) to earn her first double-double of the season.
FEMALE DIVER OF THE WEEK - Miranda Fergus (SR) Â
Cortland (Millbrook, N.Y./Millbrook)
Miranda Fergus won both diving events in Cortland's home dual-meet loss to Geneseo. She won the 3-meter board with 264.40 points and the 1-meter board with an NCAA zone qualifying score of 263.50 points.
FEMALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK - Cassidy Griger (SR) Â
New Paltz (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown Central)
New Paltz senior Cassidy Griger won two individual events and participated on an event-winning relay in the Hawks' 128-77 triumph over NCAA Division II Pace University on Saturday afternoon at Elting Pool. Griger won the 200 freestyle in 1:59.26, which is the top time in the SUNYAC in that event so far this season, and followed that up with a first-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:18.21), posting the second-fastest time in the SUNYAC in the 500 freestyle so far this season. Griger closed out the meet anchoring New Paltz's first-place 400 freestyle relay (3:45.65), splitting a 55.78 in the 100 freestyle.
MALE DIVER OF THE WEEK - Samuel Randall (SO) Â
Geneseo (Pittsford, N.Y./Pittsford Sutherland)
Samuel Randall swept both diving events as Geneseo defeated host Cortland, 218-82, on Saturday. He posted the day's top score and  NCAA zone qualifying scores on 1-meter (282.50) as well as on the 3-meter (310.60).
MALE SWIMMER OF THE WEEK - Delvyne Santiago (SR) Â
Potsdam (New Rochelle, N.Y./New Rochelle)
Delvyne Santiago led the Bears on Saturday against Brockport with three individual wins and one relay victory. He touched the wall first in the 1000 Free (11:17.81), 200 Fly (2:15.67) and the 500 Free (5:17.34). Santiago teamed up with Tyler Zapisek, Chris Carlini and Ricky Blackburn to capture the win in the 400 Medley Relay with a time of 3:52.29.
ICE HOCKEY PLAYER OF THE WEEK -  Dylan Vander Esch (SO) Â
Potsdam, Forward (San Jose, Calif./Hartford Wolfpack)
Dylan Vander Esch recorded another four points this weekend as the Bears remained undefeated with another SUNYAC sweep. On Friday, the sophomore recorded two goals, including the game-winner in Potsdam's 4-2 win at Cortland. He then scored a third and assisted on the game-winner as the Bears upset No. 11 Oswego State. Vander Esch is currently second in the SUNYAC in scoring with six goals and three assists for nine points and tied for the lead in goals.
ICE HOCKEY GOALIE OF THE WEEK - Brendan McMenimen (SO) Â
Potsdam, Goalie (Merrimack, Mass./Islander Hockey Club)
Brendan McMenimen was spectacular in two wins that kept both the Bears and himself perfect this season. He stopped 91 of 94 shots for a .968 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against-average. He made a career-high 47 saves in a 4-2 win at Cortland on Friday night and followed it up with a 44-save performance in Saturday night's 4-1 upset of No. 10 Oswego. He is second in the SUNYAC and 15th in the nation with a 1.66 goals-against-average and second in the conference and sixth in the nation with a .951 save percentage.
ICE HOCKEY ROOKIE OF THE WEEK – Pat Egan (FR) Â
Plattsburgh, Forward (Rochester, N.Y./Lone Star Brahams)
Pat Egan picked up three points on the weekend on one goal and two assists. On Friday, Egan had the primary assist on the game-tying goal to tie No. 11 Oswego 4-4 and force overtime after trailing by two goals entering the third period. In extra time Egan would net the game-winner to give the Cardinals a 5-4 (OT) win. On Saturday Egan would pick up the primary assist on Plattsburgh's third goal to help the Cardinals edge Cortland 5-1 after being tied 1-1 through two periods.
