General 9/23/2024 2:30:00 PM United East Athletes of the Week - September 23, 2024 LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its Athletes of the Week for September 23, 2024. Today will include Athletes of the Week for Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer, Women’s Soccer, and Women’s Volleyball. This week’s selections included contests from Monday, September 16 through Sunday, September 22. A total of 8 student-athletes were recognized for their performances. Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week Brea Kelso / Sr / Wilson College / Shippensburg, Pa. / Shippensburg HS Kelso got on the scoreboard in two games this week, both of which resulted in victories for Wilson. In the first, her goal capped a big win over Eastern Mennonite as the Phoenix prevailed 4-1. It was her first goal of the season. She followed up with a goal at Allegheny on a penalty corner to help put the Phoenix up 2-0 en route to their fifth-straight win in the 2024 season. This is the first Player of the Week award for Kelso, who earned Second Team All-Conference awards for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Defensive Player of the Week Alexis Nasuta / So. / Penn State Harrisburg / Harrisburg, Pa. / Susquehanna Township HS Alexis Nasuta anchored a back line that held opponents to one goal per game in a pair of victories for Penn State Harrisburg last week. The sophomore shined at center back in wins over Moravian and Albright, helping hold opponents to just three shots on frame per contest. Thanks to her efforts, goalkeeper Macenzie Mulholland needed to make just four saves in the week to earn the wins in net. In addition to her defensive prowess, Nasuta netted the game-winning goal in the victory over Moravian on Wednesday night. The marker was the first of her young career. This is the first Player of the Week award for Nasuta. Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Brian Mulholland / Jr / Wilson College / Oracle, Az. / Canyon del Oro HS Mulholland was a human highlight reel for the Phoenix as he scored three goals while Wilson went 2-0 on the week. In the first game, Mulholland scored a pair that included a first half equalizer before a second half go-ahead goal in a 3-1 triumph over Pitt-Greensburg. On Saturday, the Phoenix headed to Penn State Altoona where Mulholland was able to flick in a header for the lone goal in the victory. Wilson last won back-to-back games during the 2021 season when they went on the road to Clarks Summit and Valley Forge. This is the first Player of the Week award for Mulholland, who earned a Second Team All-Conference nod in 2023. Defensive Player of the Week Elijah DeBooth / Sr / Penn State Brandywine / West Lawn, Pa. / Wilson HS Elijah DeBooth went 1-0-1 and did not allow a goal in 135 minutes in net last week. He stopped all 11 shots he faced in a 0-0 draw against Misericordia on Saturday. Seven of his stops came during the second half. DeBooth also tallied two saves and earned the win as Brandywine topped Notre Dame MD 1-0 earlier in the week. DeBooth entered the game in the second half to complete the shutout. This is the first United East Player of the Week award for DeBooth as Penn State Brandywine joined the NCAA and United East this season. In previous seasons, DeBooth was a two-time USCAA All-American and three-time All-Conference selection. Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Megan Kurian / FY / Penn College / Royersford, Pa. / Spring Ford HS Kurian racked up seven goals and four assists in the Wildcats' 3-0 week against Mount Aloysius, Carlow and La Roche. The freshman forward netted two goals and dished out an assist in the Wildcats 8-0 win over the Mounties on Wednesday and followed up with two goals and two assists in a 9-0 win against the Celtics on Saturday. Kurian also posted her first career hat-trick in the Wildcats' 7-2 win at La Roche on Sunday to put herself in the team lead with nine goals and eight assists on the season. This is the first Player of the Week award for Kurian Defensive Player of the Week Emily Fearon / So / Saint Elizabeth University / Secaucus, NJ / Secaucus HS In a 1-1 week for the Eagles, Fearon would play a pivotal part for the Eagles, as she would have to replace an injured teammate in Goalkeeper, and she did not disappoint. Going 1-1 in net, Fearon picked up 29 saves on the week, 15 vs. Pratt on Tuesday, 9/17, and 14 vs. Purchase on Friday, 9/20. Fearon would only allow two goals on the week and claimed a 1-1 record for the Eagles on the week. This is the first Player of the Week award for Fearon. Women’s Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week McKinley Grimm / FY / Penn State Abington / Liberty Hill, Tx. / Brentwood Christian School In a perfect 4-0 week for the Nittany Lions, Grimm paced the offense with 8.5 assists per set, including a stretch of three straight 30-plus assist performances. Against Delaware Valley, Grimm totaled 35 assists: one shy of her season-high at the time, to go along with 12 digs. She opened the tri-match at Wilkes with 37 assists to set a new season-high against Bard and then improved on that season-high with 39 assists against Wilkes. She also finished the week averaging 2.18 digs per set. This is the first Player of the Week award for Grimm. Defensive Player of the Week Leah Helman / Sr / Lancaster Bible College / Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro HS Helman has led the Chargers to one of the best starts in program history at 12-3 overall. This week Helman and the Chargers went 3-1 with big wins over Hood, York (Pa.), and Elizabethtown. Helman tallied 91 total digs for the week at a 22.75 digs per set average. Three of those games were 20 or more digs including a 28-dig performance at York (Pa.). She also added 10 service aces and 33 assists. Helman currently sits in third for digs per set in the United East. This is the fifth Player of the Week for Helman, who previously received the award for the week(s) of: October 9, 2023, October 2, 2023, September 24, 2023, and October 3, 2022. Helman is a two-time United East Defensive Player of the Year, winning the award in both 2022 and 2023 in addition to All-Conference awards in those seasons. 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