LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its Athletes of the Week for March 4, 2024. This includes Athletes of the Week for both the Skye and Volt Divisions in Baseball and Softball as well as Men’s Volleyball, Women’s Lacrosse, and Men’s Lacrosse.
This week’s selections included contests from Monday, February 26 through Sunday, March 3rd. A total of 14 student-athletes were recognized for their performances.
Men’s Volleyball
Offensive Player of the Week
Dawson Forney / Jr / Lancaster Bible College / Lititz, Pa. / Warwick HS
Forney had multiple set-ending kills in the Chargers 3-2 victory over Elmira on Saturday afternoon: ending that match with 19 kills and a .227 swing percentage (19K - 9E - 44 TA). On the weekend, Forney had 36 kills in three matches, averaging 3.13 Points per Set, and picked up seven digs. Forney is currently 2nd in the United East with 138 total Kills and is 3rd with a .231 Hitting Percentage. This is the first Player of the Week honor for Forney, who was a Second Team All-Conference member in 2023.
Defensive Player of the Week
Ben Latham / So / Lancaster Bible College / Orange Park, Fl. / Oakleaf HS
Lancaster Bible College sophomore libero Ben Latham had 46 digs over three matches this past weekend to lead the Chargers. Lancaster Bible picked up a 5-set victory over Elmira before dropping a 5-set match to St. Joseph’s (Long Island) to end Saturday’s tri-match. In the match against St. Joseph’s, Latham had 18 digs over the 5 sets, which is the new 5-set high in the United East for 2024. Latham also handed out 6 assists over the weekend. This is the first Player of the Week honor for Latham, who currently leads the United East in total Digs with 163 across 59 sets.
Women’s Lacrosse
Offensive Player of the Week
Colin Horton / Jr / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / University Park, Md. / Elizabeth Seton HS
Colin Horton had a big week with 10 goals and two assists in a 2-0 week for the Seahawks. Horton started the week with a career-best six goals and two caused turnovers in an 18-6 road win over Susquehanna. She followed that up with a career-high six points on four goals and two assists plus four draw controls in a 13-10 road win over #25 Messiah. This is the fifth Player of the Week honor for Horton, who won previously for the weeks of April 24, 2023, March 6, 2023, February 27, 2023, and March 14, 2022. Horton has also been a First Team All-Conference honoree in 2022 and 2023.
Defensive Player of the Week
Jill Ahlgren / Sr / Wilson College / Mercersburg, Pa. / Mercersburg HS
Ahlgren opened the 2024 season with a full stat sheet from both ends of the field. Defensively, Ahlgren caused seven turnovers and picked up eight ground balls. Off the draw she was even better as she tallied 12 draw controls in the afternoon. Offensively, Ahlgren scored five goals and added three assists for eight points to lead Wilson over La Roche in the season opener on Sunday. Ahlgren earned First Team All-Conference in the CSAC last season as well as winning Player of the Week six separate times in 2023.
Men’s Lacrosse
Offensive Player of the Week
Joshua Martel / So / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Linthicum, Md. / North County HS
Joshua Martel notched eight goals and one assist in a 2-0 week for the Seahawks. Martel started off with a season-high four goals, one assist, and two ground balls in a 20-4 win over Juniata. He then scored another season-best four goals in a 10-9 overtime win over Hampden-Sydney. Martel currently leads the United East with 13 goals in 4 games played. This is the second Player of the Week honor for Martel who previously won for the week of April 10, 2023.
Defensive Player of the Week
Ethan Little / Sr / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Bel Air, Md. / C. Milton Wright HS
Ethan Little anchored the defense for the Seahawks as they posted a 2-0 week. Little collected nine ground balls and three caused turnovers. He began the week with three ground balls, and one caused turnover in a 20-4 win over Juniata. Little followed that up with a season-best six loose ball pickups and three caused turnovers in a 10-9 overtime win over Hampden-Sydney. Little was a 2022 First Team All-Conference honoree, and this is the third Player of the Week award over his career (February 27, 2023, and March 7, 2023).
Softball
Player of the Week - Skye Division
Lindsey Dalenberg / FY / Wilson College / Niles, Mi. / Edwardsburg HS
Dalenberg helped the Phoenix jump out to a 4-0 start over the past week picking up a doubleheader sweep over Gallaudet on Friday afternoon and a split doubleheader sweep over New Jersey City and Kenyon on Sunday. In doing so, the first year is hitting .438 after going 7-for-16 and has scored six runs with two stolen bases as a lead-off hitter.
Pitcher of the Week - Skye Division
Paige Dill / So / Wilson College / New Oxford, Pa. / New Oxford HS
Dill has started the season off strong with nine strikeouts in 9.0 innings pitched on three appearances over the past week. In doing so she has helped Wilson jump out to a 4-0 start. She opened the week with a two-hit shutout over Gallaudet in the season opener. She fanned seven Bison while allowing just three base runners in 5.0 innings of work. Dill followed up with a pair of relief efforts, with a strikeout in each, in a pair of one-run wins against Kenyon and New Jersey City to start spring break and keep the Phoenix undefeated. This is the second Pitcher of the Week honor for Dill, who previously won for the week of March 6, 2023.
Player of the Week - Volt Division
Rylee Tineri / Sr / Penn State Berks / Lancaster, Pa. / Manheim Township HS
Rylee Tineri opened the 2024 season in solid fashion to help the Nittany Lions get off to a 2-1 start. The senior outfielder batted .667 (4-for-6) with three RBI and two runs scored. In the matchups against Thomas (ME), Tineri went 2-2 with a walk, two RBI, and two runs scored. This is the first Player of the Week honor for Tineri.
Pitcher of the Week - Volt Division
Mackenzie Sawdey / So / Penn State Harrisburg / Halifax, Pa. / Halifax HS
Mackenzie Sawdey was nearly flawless in her first start of the spring. In a 3-0 season-opening win over Bridgewater State in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on Sunday, the sophomore threw a complete-game shutout. The hurler allowed just four hits, struck out nine batters, and walked none in seven innings of work to earn her first win of the season. Sawdey was the United East Rookie of the Year and earned a First Team All-Conference honor. This is the second Player of the Week nod for Sawdey, who previously won for the week of April 10, 2023.
Baseball
Player of the Week - Skye Division
Jacob Yager / Jr / Keystone College / Grahamsville, N.Y. / Tri-Valley HS
Yager was the hottest hitter for the Giants as they kicked off the 2024 season. In three games this week, he batted .833 (10-of-12) which included two home runs and four RBI. He had an OPS of 2.263 and a slugging percentage of 1.417. Yager went 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBI to help lead Keystone to their first win of the year against Manchester University on Saturday. This is the first Player of the Week honor for Yager.
Pitcher of the Week - Skye Division
Emilio Rodriguez / So / Wilson College / Baltimore, Md. / Archbishop Curley HS
Rodriguez came on in relief in two of Wilson's three wins on the week and picked up a save in the season opener at Hood. Against the Blazers, he entered with the potential winning run at the plate. With a runner on third, he fanned two batters swinging to record the save. In Sunday's opener against Alfred State, he pitched a pair of innings with four strikeouts. All told, he struck out six in 2.2 innings of work without allowing a hit. This is the first Pitcher of the Week honor for Rodriguez, who was named First Team All-Conference as a relief pitcher last season in the CSAC.
Player of the Week - Volt Division
George Berbakos / Jr / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Sykesville, Md. / Century HS
George Berbakos hit .571 (4-7) with a triple in a 1-1 week for the Seahawks. Berbakos also scored two runs. He went 3-for-4 in an 8-1 loss to RPI after going 1-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored in a 4-2 win over Vermont State Lyndon. This is the first Player of the Week honor for Berbakos.
Pitcher of the Week - Volt Division
Josh Berzonski / So / Penn State Harrisburg / Glenville, Pa. / South Western HS
Josh Berzonski’s relief outing was key in Penn State Harrisburg’s 6-2 road win over No. 24 Arcadia on Sunday afternoon. The sophomore entered in the fifth and allowed just two hits and no earned runs to go along with five strikeouts. His five-inning effort shut down the nationally ranked Knights and allowed the Penn State Harrisburg offense to erase a deficit and complete the comeback victory with five runs in the final three frames. This is the first Pitcher of the Week honor for Berzonski, who was named to the First Team All-Conference last season as well as an All-Region honoree by both D3baseball.com and the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA).
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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.