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United East Athletes of the Week - March 26, 2024

LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its Athletes of the Week for March 26, 2024.  Today will include Athletes of the Week for Women’s Tennis, Men’s Tennis, Women’s and Men’s Outdoor Track and Field.

This week’s selections included contests from Monday, March 18 through Sunday, March 24.  A total of 7 student-athletes were recognized for their performances.

 

Men’s Tennis

Player of the Week
Michael Shively / Sr / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Potomac, Md. / Walt Whitman HS

Michael Shively was the only Seahawk to win both his doubles and singles matches in a 5-4 loss to Marymount (Va.). Shively teamed up with Daoud Alkhalidi for an 8-3 win at No. 2 doubles - SMCM's lone doubles win. He then picked up a 6-1, 6-1 win at No. 4 singles, which tied the match at 4-4. This is the first Player of the Week honor for Shively.

 
 
Women’s Tennis

Player of the Week - Volt Division
Amber Manspeaker / Jr / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Finksburg, Md. / Westminster HS

Amber Manspeaker won both her doubles and singles matches as the Seahawks picked up a 7-2 win over Marymount (Va.). Amber partnered with Cleopatra Solomon for an 8-1 win at No. 1 doubles before posting a 6-7 (1), 7-5, 6-2 triumph at No. 2 singles. She rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second set for the victory.  This is the third Player of the Week award for Manspeaker, who previously won for the weeks of September 21, 2021, and March 7, 2023.  Manspeaker is a four-time United East First Team All-Conference honoree, picking two honors at No. 2 doubles, one at No. 4 singles in 2021-22, and one at No. 3 singles in 2022-23.

Player of the Week - Skye Division
Thea Keal / Jr / Bryn Athyn College / Bryn Athyn, Pa. / Academy of the New Church

Keal picked up her first victory of the season at No. 3 singles in the spring-season opener at Penn State Abington.  Keal lost the first set 6-2 but rebounded for a big 6-3 hold in the second to send the match to a deciding third set where a 10-5 margin gave Keal the win and the Lions a second point in the afternoon.  Keal is a two-time All-Conference honoree at both singles and doubles, earning Honorable Mention singles and Second Team doubles in 2023 and Second Team honors for both in 2022. 

 
 
Women’s Outdoor Track and Field

Track Athlete of the Week
Oceana Brown / FY / Gallaudet University / Miami, Fl. / Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind

First-year sprinter Oceana Brown won the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.05 seconds and finished second in the 100-meter dash (12.29 seconds) to set new school records last Saturday at the Doc Jopson Invitational hosted by Bridgewater (Va.) College.
Brown erased two of the oldest women's outdoor track and field records in GU history. The previous 200-meter dash record time of 26.10 seconds was held by Nancy Jordan since April 11, 1981, set at the Messiah Invitational and later matched by Natasha Bacchus at the CAC Championships in Fredericksburg, Va., on April 25, 1998. In that same conference championship, Bacchus set the previous 100-meter dash record time of 12.35 seconds.

Brown was also a member of the 4x100 meter relay team that finished sixth overall with a time of 51.50 seconds.  This is the fifth Athlete of the Week honor for Brown, who previously won for the week of February 20, 2024, February 13, 2024, February 6, 2024, and January 23, 2024.  Brown was also named Indoor Rookie of the Year at the United East Indoor Championships in February.

Field Athlete of the Week
Hannah Wetzel / Sr / Gallaudet University / Fremont, Ca. / California School for the Deaf - Fremont

Gallaudet senior Hannah Wetzel made her outdoor season debut this past weekend at the Doc Jopson Invitational hosted by Bridgewater (Va.) College and fared well. She won the high jump as she cleared 1.64 meters (5 feet, 4.50 inches). Wetzel finished ninth in the 200-meter dash with a time of 26.57 seconds. She also joined three other Bison on the 4x100 meter relay team to post a time of 51.50 seconds and finish sixth. On the first day, Wetzel placed third overall in the triple jump with a top leap of 11.14 meters (36 feet, 6.50 inches) at Bridgewater Stadium.

This is the eighth Athlete of the Week honor for Wetzel, who previously won for the weeks of February 20, 2024, February 13, 2024, February 6, 2024, December 12, 2023, May 2, 2023, April 25, 2022, and March 28, 2022, on top of the CSAC Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year award in 2023 and United East Indoor Field Athlete of the Year award for 2024.

 

Men’s Outdoor Track and Field

Track Athlete of the Week
Eric Gregory / Sr / Gallaudet University / Metairie, La. / East Jefferson HS

Gallaudet All-American sprinter Eric Gregory made his 2024 outdoor season debut last weekend at the Doc Jopson Invitational hosted by Bridgewater (Va.) College. Gregory set three facility records in the 100-, 200- and 400-meter dash events on a cool and windy Saturday afternoon. Gregory crossed the finish line in the 100-meter dash with a first-place time of 10.48 seconds. He won the 200-meter dash in 20.85 seconds and took first in the 400-meter dash in 47.76 seconds. Gregory was also part of the 4x100 meter relay team that placed third with a time of 43.44.

This is the 12th Athlete of the Week honor for Gregory who is a two-time NCAA Division III National Champion (400m; 2022 & 2023; outdoors) as well as a five-time All-American after finishing in 2nd at the 200m during the 2024 NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field National Championships.

Field Athlete of the Week
Cotis Martinez / Jr / Gallaudet University / Turlock, Ca. / Denair HS

Gallaudet junior thrower Cotis Martinez (Turlock, Calif.) finished sixth overall in the javelin event last weekend at the Doc Jopson Invitational hosted by Bridgewater (Va.) College. Martinez had a best throw of 43.54 meters (142 feet, 10 inches) in the javelin last Friday. Martinez led GU in the discus event with a 19th place showing as his best toss was 32.59 meters (106 feet, 11 inches).  This is the third Athlete of the Week award for Martinez, who previously won for the weeks of May 2, 2023, and April 25, 2023. 
 


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