LATHAM, N.Y. - Week 1 brings the first United East weekly honor roll of the newly integrated 17-team conference. Today will include Athletes of the Week for both the Skye and Volt Divisions in Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, and Women’s Volleyball.
This week’s selections included contests from Friday, September 1 through Sunday, September 3. A total of 12 student-athletes were recognized for their performances.
Men’s Soccer
Offensive Player of the Week - Skye Division
Kingsley Okoi / Sr / Clarks Summit University / Atlanta, Ga. / Chapel Hill
Okoi picked up two goals in a season-opening win over Pratt Institute. In 2022, Okoi was a 2nd Team All-Conference performer and won Offensive Player of the Week twice.
Defensive Player of the Week - Skye Division
Liam Hungate / Sr / Clarks Summit University / Royersford, Pa. / Spring-Ford Senior HS
Hungate had six saves in a season-opening shutout of Pratt Institute. This is the second Athlete of the Week for Hungate who was selected last season (10/31/22).
Offensive Player of the Week - Volt Division
Zack Glime / Gr. / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Annapolis, Md. / The Key School
Glime had a brace in the Seahawks’ season-opening 4-1 win over King’s (PA) on Friday, September 1. The two goals in a single game match a career-high as St. Mary’s opened the season at the Elmer Lord Tournament at Salisbury University.
Defensive Player of the Week - Volt Division
Matt Sheldon / Sr / Penn St. Abington / Perkasie, Pa. / Pennridge HS
Sheldon made four saves against Stevenson, including a key stop with less than four minutes to play to preserve the shutout and tie. Sheldon started the game against Washington College allowing one goal made one stop in the first half as the Lions opened the season with two draws.
Women’s Soccer
Offensive Player of the Week - Skye Division
Jillian Seay / FY / Notre Dame College of Maryland / Baltimore, Md. / The Catholic High School of Baltimore
Seay made an instant impact for the Gators, scoring a hat trick in her first-ever college game. Seay’s three goals helped spark NDMU to a 9-0 win over Gallaudet. In addition to her three goals, Seay added an assist.
Defensive Player of the Week - Skye Division
Bella Bozen / So / Cedar Crest College / Lockport, Il. / Lockport Township HS
Bozen converted nine saves in goal in a scoreless draw against Immaculata in the season-opener for Cedar Crest. This is the second Athlete of the Week honor for Bozen as she was the Women’s Track and Field Outdoor Field Performer of the Week on April 25, 2023.
Offensive Player of the Week - Volt Division
Kendal Ream / Sr / Lancaster Bible College / Willow Street, Pa. / Lampeter-Strasburg
Ream notched not one, but two hat tricks this weekend as she helped the Chargers start 2-0 on the season. The first time in program history that back-to-back hat tricks were had. Their first win was a 4-0 win over Rosemont and their second was a 4-0 win over Immaculata at home. Ream was the United East Offensive Player of the Week for October 11, 2021 as well as a 2021 All-Conference First Team honoree.
Defensive Player of the Week - Volt Division
Sophia Gonzalez / So / Penn State Berks / Ephrata, Pa. / Ephrata HS
Sophia Gonzalez had a 1-1 record in net this past week. The sophomore keeper made five saves in a shutout win over Wilkes University in the season opener. She followed that up with three stops in a 2-1 setback to Moravian University on Sunday afternoon.
Women’s Volleyball
Offensive Player of the Week - Skye Division
Ellise Everett / So / Cedar Crest College / Orlando, Fl. / Lake Nona HS
Everett registered 22 kills over a pair of matches in a 2-0 weekend for Cedar Crest. She tallied 12 kills, two assists, one dig, and three blocks while hitting .550 in a 3-1 win over Gwynedd Mercy. Everett then closed the weekend with 10 kills, two assists, three digs, and four total blocks in a 3-0 victory over the Griffins; hitting .368 on Saturday. Everett was the 2022 CSAC Rookie of the Year and Second-Team All-Conference.
Defensive Player of the Week - Skye Division
Rebekka Sanchez-Castro / Sr / Cedar Crest College / Columbia, Md. / Atholton HS
Sanchez-Castro put up a pair of matches with 20-plus digs to open the season in a 2-0 weekend for the Falcons. She started with 29 digs in a 3-1 victory over Gwynedd Mercy and then followed with a 20-dig match in a sweep of the Griffins on Saturday. The senior also added 13 assists and four service aces. Sanchez-Castro was the 2022 CSAC Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Conference selection.
Offensive Player of the Week - Volt Division
Cassidy Perry / Jr / Gallaudet University / Frederick, Md. / Maryland School for the Deaf
Perry was named to the Bearcat Challenge All-Tournament Team as Gallaudet started its 2023 season with a 3-1 showing at the two-day tournament hosted by Saint Vincent College. Perry finished the four matches with a team best 53 kills (3.53 kills per set) and a .333 attack percentage to total 58 points. Perry added seven blocks (three solo) and 11 digs and four assists. Perry was a Second Team All-United East performer in 2022.
Defensive Player of the Week - Volt Division
Anya Pothorski / Jr / Gallaudet University / Columbus, Oh. / Indiana School for the Deaf
Pothorski finished the weekend with a team best 12 blocks (four solo) for an average of 0.80 per set. Pothorski tallied 31 kills (.348 attack percentage), 21 digs, seven assists for 39 points as the Bison went 3-1 during the two-day Bearcat Challenge hosted by Saint Vincent College.
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The United East boasts 17 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: Bryn Athyn College, Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Clarks Summit University, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Harrisburg, Rosemont College, Saint Elizabeth University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.