Offensive Player of the Week

Jordan Carpenter / Gr / Penn State Harrisburg / Chester, Va. / Matoaca HS / University of Mary Washington

Jordan Carpenter averaged 18.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in a pair of wins for Penn State Harrisburg. She scored 24 points with 14 rebounds in a non-conference win at Alvernia on Dec. 30 and followed it up with 13 points and nine boards in a conference victory at Penn College on Saturday. 

This is the sixth United East Player of the Week award for Carpenter this season, who has previously won for the weeks of December 16, 2024, December 9, 2024, December 2, 2024, November 25, 2024, and November 18, 2024. This season, Carpenter leads the United East averaging 21.3 points per game, 12.3 rebounds per game, while shooting 65 % from the field.  Nationally, Carpenter ranks 3rd in double-doubles with nine, 7th in total points (240), 5th in total rebounds (160), 11th in offensive rebounds per game (5.0), and 9th in free throws made (67).

Defensive Player of the Week

Caylie Long / So / Cedar Crest College / Powder Springs, Ga. / Hillgrove HS

Long paced Cedar Crest with 17 points on 6-for-16 shooting and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds in a 64-52 victory over Valley Forge for her second double-double of the season. The sophomore also added four assists, six steals, and one block in the win. 

This is the third Player of the Week award for Long, who previously won for the weeks of January 22, 2024, and January 22, 2024.  Long was named Second Team All-Conference last season and is currently 2nd in the United East averaging 19.8 points per game along with a 54% field goal percentage.  Additionally, Long is averaging 3.4 steals per game (3rd in league), 1.4 blocked shots per game (5th in league) and tenth in the league with 8.9 rebounds per game.

Offensive Player of the Week

Grant Sareyka / Gr / Lancaster Bible College / Swedesboro, N.J. / The Christian Academy

Sareyka led the Chargers to a 2-0 week to open the new year including a 94-92 win over Salisbury on Monday and an 81-62 conference win over Rosemont on Saturday. In Saturday's win, the graduate student scored a game high 31 points shooting an efficient 66-percent from the floor with four three-pointers and five steals. He finished the week averaging 23.5 points per game, 56-percent from the field, 50-percent from three, and three steals per game. 

Sareyka is having another impactful year, being in the top ten of the conference in points per game (19.1), field goal percentage (49.2%), assists per game (3.1), and steals per game (2.2). This is the sixth Player of the Week award for Sareyka, who previously won for the weeks of January 22, 2024, January 15, 2024, January 2, 2024, November 13, 2023, and December 5, 2022. Sareyka earned First Team All-Conference honors in 2023-24 and 2022-23 seasons along with a Second Team award in 2021-22.

Defensive Player of the Week

Jalen Pierce / Jr / Wilson College / Richmond, Va. / Collegiate School / Millersville University

While Pierce was important offensively, finishing with 17 points on the night, his defensive skills were on display as he pulled down six rebounds and made a game-high four steals in a win over St. Mary's. All four steals benefited the Phoenix at the opposite end as each one resulted in a combined nine points off turnovers. Offensively he finished 7-for-10 with 17 points, with four of those coming off his steals.

This is the first Player of the Week award for Pierce, who is currently ninth in the league with 22 total steals and a 1.8 per game average.