Baseball

United East Athletes of the Week - March 31, 2025

LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its Athletes of the Week for March 31, 2025.  Today will include Players of the Week for men’s and women's lacrosse, men’s volleyball, baseball and softball.

This week’s selections included contests from Monday, March 24 through Sunday, March 30, 2025. A total of 10 student athletes were recognized for their performances.

  • Player of the Week

    Alexis Kline / SR / Cedar Crest College / Allentown, Pa. / Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

    Kline was a monster from the dish as she helped her squad go a perfect 4-0 on the week including a pair of conference wins. She had a hit, recorded an RBI and scored a run in all four games, finishing the week going 7-for-10 from the plate with 10 RBI and nine runs scored. Of her seven hits, four went for extra bags including two doubles, one triple and a dinger. At the conclusion of the week, her slashes looked like .700/1.500/.824.

    This is Kline's first career Player of the Week award.

    Pitcher of the Week

    Isabella Hurta / SO / Penn State Brandywine / Colts Neck, N..J. / Red Bank Catholic

    Isabella Hurta tossed the first two complete-game shutouts of her career and went 3-0 overall in three starts last week. She struck out four and allowed only three hits in a five-inning shutout of Haverford on Tuesday and limited Delaware Valley to one run on five hits in seven innings two days later. On Saturday, she helped Brandywine complete a sweep of Harrisburg with a seven-inning shutout when she allowed four hits and struck out four.. 

    This is the first Pitcher of the Week award in Hurta's career.

  • Defensive Player of the Week

    Nicholas Marion / JR / Lancaster Bible College / Sao Paulo, Brazil / Divina Providencia

    Marion was a defensive presence for the Chargers helping them to a 2-1 week and a win over Bryn Athyn on Saturday to remain a perfect 6-0 in conference action. Marion posted back to back team highs in digs with 10 digs on Tuesday and 15 on Thursday before capping off the weekend with a five dig performance in a sweep of Bryn Athyn. He finished with 30 total digs on the week averaging 10 per match.

    This is the first career Player of the Week award for Marion.

    Offensive Player of the Week

    Sam Poirier / SO / Cairn University / Nogyang, South Korea / International Christian School Uijeongbu

    After appearing in only a single set at Pratt on Wednesday night, Poirier went off on Saturday against St. Elizabeth, throwing down 40 kills, which broke the current single-game program record (38) and was the most single-game kills in any NCAA match this year (all divisions). The sophomore outside hitter also had two block assists and an ace for a total of 42 points on the day. Poirier continues to lead the United East in kills per set (4.91) while second in the NCAA Division III. 

    This is the third career Player of the Week award for Poirer (3/10/25 | 03/03/25)

  • Defensive Player of the Week

    Ellie Terranova / JR / Cedar Crest College / Wilmington, Del. / Mount Pleasant

    Terranova tallied eight ground balls and three draw controls in the Falcons' 22-5 victory over Notre Dame of Maryland University to start conference play. The junior also added four points on two goals and two assists. 

    This is the first Defensive Player of the Week in Terranova's career.

     

    Offensive Player of the Week

    Maddie Graham / SR / Cedar Crest College / Clayton, Del. / Smyrna

    Graham tallied career-highs in goals (9) and points (11) in Cedar Crest's 22-5 victory over Notre Dame of Maryland University to start conference play. The senior also collected three ground balls and four draw controls. 

    This is the first Offensive Player of the Week in Graham's career.

  • Player of the Week

    Andy Rivas / SR / Keystone College / Bronx, N.Y. / Academy for Language and Technology

    Rivas batted .786 (11-of-14) with five doubles, two home runs, and 11 RBI in four games this week. He had a slugging percentage of 1.571 and a .789 on base percentage. The senior catcher recorded three hits and two RBI in Tuesday's contest with Marywood and followed that up with three hits and one run batted in against William Paterson on Wednesday. Rivas combined for five hits and eight RBI in a United East doubleheader split with Penn State Abington where he belted two home runs in Saturday's matchup. This is the first player of the award for Rivas. 

    This is the first Player of the Week award for Rivas of his career.

    Pitcher of the Week

    Bradyn Eckert / FR / Penn State Harrisburg / Lancaster, Pa. / Penn Manor

    Bradyn Eckert made three appearances during Penn State Harrisburg's 3-1-1 week, earning one win and securing a save. The freshman threw the final frame without allowing a hit or walk to go along with two strikeouts in earning the save in a comeback victory over Messiah on Wednesday before starting and picking up the win in a victory over No. 11 Rowan on Sunday afternoon. Against the nationally-ranked Profs, he went five innings and did not allow an earned run, surrendering just four hits and striking out five batters. For the week, he threw 6.1 innings, struck out seven and posted a 0.00 ERA. 

    This is the second Pitcher of the Week award for Eckert of his career (02/24/25).

  • Offensive Player of the Week

    Owen Kupsey / FR / Penn College / Chadds Ford, Pa. / Unionville

    Kupsey led the Wildcats offense with a pair of four-goal games in two victories at Alvernia and against Neumann. The freshman attackman scored half of the Wildcats eight goals against the Golden Wolves, including a first-half hat-trick on Wednesday. He finished with five points when he scored four goals and aided an assist in a 21-6 win against the Knights on Saturday. 

    This is the first Player of the Week award for Kupsey of his career.

    Defensive Player of the Week

    Walt Heiser / SR / Penn College / Milford, N.J. / Delaware Valley

    Heiser was a force on the defensive end in the Wildcats' 2-0 week against Alvernia and Neumann where he combined for 10 ground balls and three caused turnovers. Against the Golden Wolves, Heiser scooped up four ground balls and led a defensive unit that surrendered just three goals. On Saturday against the Knights, Heiser collected a season-high six ground balls and three caused turnovers in the 21-6 victory. 

    This is Heiser's first Player of the Week award of his career.


 

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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, Gallaudet University, Keystone College, Lancaster Bible College, Notre Dame of Maryland University, Penn College, Penn State Abington, Penn State Berks, Penn State Brandywine, 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.