LATHAM, N.Y. - The United East conference has announced its Athletes of the Week for September 28, 2026.  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 21 through Sunday, September 27.  A total of eight student-athletes from five different member institutions were recognized for their performances.
  Offensive Player of the Week
Julie Mascolo / SO / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Leonardtown, Md. / St. Mary’s Ryken

Josie Mascolo delivered the game-winning goal for St. Mary’s College of Maryland in a 1-0 road victory over Washington College, finding the back of the cage for the second goal of her career. Mascolo followed by recording the Seahawks’ lone shot on goal against No. 2 Salisbury, as St. Mary’s pushed the second-ranked team in NCAA Division III to overtime before falling 1-0 on a penalty stroke.

Defensive Player of the Week
Sophia Kent / JR / St. Mary’s College of Maryland / Chesterville, Md. / The Gunston School

Sophia Kent earned United East Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week after allowing just one goal across two contests for St. Mary’s College of Maryland. Kent opened the week with a season-high 11 saves in a 1-0 road victory over Washington College. She followed with five saves against No. 2 Salisbury, holding the second-ranked team in all of NCAA Division III scoreless through regulation before the Sea Gulls escaped with a 1-0 overtime victory on a penalty stroke 3:13 into the extra period. Kent finished the week with 16 saves while surrendering just one goal across more than 123 minutes in the cage. Offensive Player of the Week
Shane Lachawiec / FR / Penn State Abington / Philadelphia, Pa. / Roman Catholic

Freshman Shane Lachawiec scored in both contests for Penn State Abington, helping the Nittany Lions earn a pair of results, including a victory in their United East opener. Lachawiec opened the week by scoring Abington’s lone goal in a 1-1 draw at Stockton before delivering the game-winner in a 2-1 conference victory over St. Mary’s College of Maryland. His 64th-minute strike gave the Nittany Lions a 2-0 advantage and proved to be the deciding goal in the conference-opening win.

Defensive Player of the Week
Josh Martin / SR / Penn State Berks / New Holland, Pa. / Garden Spot

Senior goalkeeper Josh Martin helped lead Penn State Berks to a perfect 2-0 week, totaling six saves across a pair of victories. Martin opened the week with five saves in a 3-1 win over Carlow before recording his first shutout of the season in the Nittany Lions’ 4-0 conference victory over Gallaudet. He made one save in the clean sheet as Berks opened United East play with a victory. Offensive Player of the Week
Stephanie Morales / FR / Penn State Berks / Reading, Pa. / Muhlenberg

Stephanie Morales erupted for seven goals across three contests to help Penn State Berks post a 2-1 record on the week. After being held off the scoresheet against FDU-Florham, Morales responded with a four-goal performance, including the game-winner, in a 6-0 victory over Carlow. She followed with her second consecutive hat trick, scoring three times in the Nittany Lions’ 7-0 conference-opening victory over Cedar Crest. Morales finished the week with seven goals, 14 points and 13 shots on goal.

Defensive Player of the Week
Gianna Gamble / SO / Penn College / Selinsgrove, Pa. / Selinsgrove

Sophomore defensive midfielder Gianna Gamble anchored the Penn College defense to back-to-back shutouts in matches against Ramapo and Penn State Brandywine. Gamble helped the Wildcats limit Ramapo to just three shots on goal in a scoreless draw before holding Penn State Brandywine to only one total shot in a conference-opening victory.
  Offensive Player of the Week
Lea Sareyka / SR / Lancaster Bible College / Glen Mills, Pa. / The Christian Academy

Lea Sareyka helped Lancaster Bible College to a perfect 3-0 week, including a victory in the Chargers’ United East opener. Sareyka totaled 29 kills across 11 sets, highlighted by a season-high 15 kills in a five-set victory over Gettysburg. She added 10 kills in a straight-set win over Keuka and contributed four kills in a conference sweep of Penn College. Sareyka also recorded nine service aces, 24 digs and four blocks during the undefeated week.

Defensive Player of the Week
Fabiola Medina / JR / Penn State Abington / Caguas, Puerto Rico / Academia del Perpetuo Socorro

Fabiola Medina earned United East Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week after anchoring Penn State Abington’s defense during a 2-1 week. The junior averaged 5.14 digs per set, highlighted by a season-high 37 digs in a conference-opening victory at Gallaudet, marking the Nittany Lions’ first regular-season win over the Bison in program history and first victory in the series since the 2019 postseason. Medina added 15 digs in a win at Gwynedd Mercy and 20 digs at Wilkes to finish the week with 72 digs. She also recorded 10 service aces and moved into the program’s all-time top 10 with 119 career aces.