LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its Athletes of the Week for September 23, 2025. Today will include Athletes of the Week for Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Men's Golf and the first week of Men's and Women's Tennis.
This week’s selections included contests through Sunday, September 20. A total of five student-athletes from four different member institutions were recognized for their performances.
Women’s Cross Country
Runner of the Week
Clarisse Hayden / JR / Cairn University / Bangkok, Thailand / International Community School
Hayden placed third in the Abington Invitational on Saturday, the fastest college runner out of the field, clocking in at 25:33.73 as she led her team to a third-place finish. Hayden has made the podium in ever race thus far in 2025 including a win last week at the United East Preview.
This is the second Runner of the Week award of the season for Hayden and her sixth accolade of her career (9/3/24, 9/10/24, 9/17/24, 9/24/24, 10/1/24, 9/15/25)
Men’s Cross Country
Runner of the Week
Sevan Ikeda / FR / Gallaudet University / Fremont, Calif. / California School for the Deaf
Gallaudet University first-year runner Sevan Ikeda (Fremont, Calif.) went into enemy territory and left victorious as the Bison runner won the Abington Invitational last Saturday morning at Lormier Park. Ikeda linked up with Penn St.-Abington freshman Mason Kaminski, who was running on his home course, and the two first-year runners shined among a field of 90 runners. Ikeda won the 8K race in 28 minutes and 3.95 seconds to edge out Kaminski (28:06.03). The pair posted an identical pace time of 5:39. There was a gap of 14 seconds before third-place runner Trent Jordan from Penn St.-Berks finished in 28:20.89. This was Ikeda's first win of the 2025 season after a second and fourth place finish to begin the season.
This is Ikeda's third career United East weekly accolade (9/1/25, 9/15/25).
Men’s Golf
Golfer of the Week
Bern Popky / SR / Penn State Abington / Philadelphia, Pa. / Springside Chestnut Hill Academy
The Penn State Abington men's golf team opened the fall portion of its 2025-26 schedule at the FDU Invitational hosted by FDU-Florham last Monday at the Mendham Golf and Tennis Club. Senior Bern Popky highlighted the event with a third place showing as he finished with a score of 75 (+3) to lead the Nittany Lions. Popky parred 10 holes, including six on the back nine holes. He also recorded three birdies on his way to a 75 on the day.
This is Popky's first career United East weekly accolade.
Men’s Tennis
Player of the Week
Daniel Stange / SR / Cairn University / Langhorne, Pa. / Bucks County Technical HS
Stange won both singles matches this weekend, defeating his Rutgers-Camden opponent 6-1, 7-5. On Saturday, he got momentum swung in the Highlanders' direction, winning the #3 singles 6-1, 6-2 to help Cairn to their first match win of the fall season.
This is Stange's first career United East weekly accolade.
Women’s Tennis
Player of the Week
Lily Ganjbaksh / FY / St. Mary's College of Maryland / Potomac, Md. / Winston Churchill
Lily Ganjbaksh collected her first career singles win with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Catholic's Ella Knox at No. 1 singles. Ganjbaksh also teamed up with Sarah Levit for a tough 6-3 loss at No. 2 doubles.
This is Ganjbaksh's first career United East weekly accolade.
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The United East boasts 14 NCAA Division III full member institutions which include: 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, St. Mary's College of Maryland, University of Valley Forge, and Wilson College. For more information, please visit gounitedeast.com.