LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its Athletes of the Week for April 14, 2026. Today will include Athletes of the Week from men's and women's tennis, men's and women's outdoor track & field and men's golf.
This week’s selections included contests through Sunday, April 12. A total of seven student-athletes from four different institutions were recognized for their performances.
Men’s Tennis
Athlete of the Week
Alex Lyman/ SO / St. Mary's College of Maryland / Annapolis, Md. / Annapolis
Alex Lyman helped the Seahawks to a 2-0 week, blanking both Lancaster Bible and Penn State Berks on the road. The Seahawks have now won six in a row. Lyman partnered with Jacob Nelson at No. 1 doubles for a 6-1 win over LBC's Cole Stoltzfus and Cole Sheihing as well as a 6-2 victory over PSB's Talan Nguyen and Jazae Maina-Itegi. He then posted a 6-1, 7-6 (2) triumph over PSB's Joseph Martin after cruising past LBC's Cameron Tripp, 6-2, 6-1.
This is Lyman's first United East weekly accolade of the season and his second of his career (10/15/24)
Women’s Tennis
Athlete of the Week
Samma Zahran / JR / Penn State Brandywine / Brookhaven, Pa. / Cardinal O'Hara
Samma Zahran went 3-0 in No. 1 singles action and won all three of her No. 1 doubles matches, leading Brandywine to three conference victories last week. Zahran won each of her singles matches in straight sets, including a pair of 6-0, 6-0 wins, and dropped just one game overall in singles action last week.
This is Zahran's second United East weekly accolade of the season and fourth of her career (09/20/25, 04/08/25, 09/24/24).
Men’s Golf
Golfer of the Week
Pearse Lee / SR / Rutgers University-Camden / Cinnaminson, N.J. / Cinnaminson
Lee had a solid outing at the Susquehanna Spring Invitational on Thursday, placing second in a field of 48 golfers. The senior shot a 75 (+5) which was just one stroke off of the first palce finisher. Lee notched birdies on six, nine and 10.
This is Lee's second career United East Weekly Accolade (04/09/24)
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field
Track Athlete of the Week
Teni Olayinka-Yusuf / SR / Penn State Abington / Philadelphia, Pa. / Parkway Center City Middle College
Senior Teni Olayinka-Yusuf broke two of her own school records as she recorded two top-10 finishes at the annual Bill Butler Invitational hosted by West Chester University on Saturday. In the 100-meters, Olayinka-Yusuf broke her record of 12.96 seconds in the preliminaries with a time of 12.90 seconds. Then in the finals, she broke that mark with a new record time of 12.80 seconds as she finished seventh overall in the event. In the 200-meters, Olayinka-Yusuf finished ninth overall with a time of 26.60 seconds breaking her previous top-mark of 27.19 seconds.
This is Smith's first United East weekly accolade of her career in the outdoor season.
Field Athlete of the Week
Sydney Taylor / JR / Carlow University / Castle Shannon, Pa. / Keystone Oaks
Taylor led the Celtics with a first place, personal best leap of 11.32 meters in triple jump at the Westminster College Invitational Saturday. It is the second best distance in the Carlow record books behind Olivia Miller (11.60 meters on April 5, 2023). Taylor also leapt a personal best 5.18 meters in long jump for the seventh best distance in the record book.
This is Smith's first United East weekly accolade of the season and her second career nod (04/29/25)
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field
Track Athlete of the Week
Sevan Ikeda / FY / Gallaudet University / Fremont, Calif. / CSDF
Gallaudet University first year Sevan Ikeda (Fremont, Calif.) made his 2026 men's track and field season home debut last Saturday at the Bison Classic. His anticipated debut did not disappoint as he competed in the 5,000 meters run and won the event with a career-best time of 15 minutes and 16.59 seconds. Ikeda was just 1.28 seconds shy of the school record of 15:15.31 set by Otto Kingstedt in 2016. Ikeda earned 10 team points for the Bison, who finished fifth overall with 38 points.
This is Ikeda's first United East weekly accolade of his career in outdoor.
Field Athlete of the Week
Zack Kralec / SR / St. Mary's College of Maryland / Monkton, Md. / Hereford
Zachary Kralec won the pole vault with 4.62m while placing first in the javelin with 49.29m at the Gallaudet/Howard Bison Classic. Kralec also came in 17th in the discus with 29.37m.
This is Kralec's first United East weekly accolade of the year in outdoor and his third in his career (04/01/25, 03/19/24)
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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.