Posted: Oct 25, 2022
LANCASTER, Pa. -- The fall seasons are now winding down as we enter the final week of the regular season for field hockey, men's and women's soccer, and volleyball, while swimming was the first winter sport to open up the 2022-23 this past weekend. The Centennial fall championship season will kick off this weekend as Haverford hosts the cross country championship on Saturday, Oct. 29.
Repeat winners Kaylee Zhang of Swarthmore volleyball and Meg Tate of Dickinson women's soccer lead this week's CC award winners. Other weekly honors were received by Siena Urbanski of Johns Hopkins field hockey, Ava Rivera of Washington College field hockey, Tyson Burling of Dickinson men's soccer, Isaac Mintz of Franklin & Marshall men's soccer, Lily Gaston of Johns Hopkins women's soccer, Evelyn Batista of Johns Hopkins volleyball, Gage Mandrell of Washington College men's swimming, and Elle Anthony of Swarthmore women's swimming.
See below for more details on each of this week's award winners.
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FIELD HOCKEY
Offensive Player of the Week
Siena Urbanski, Sr., F, Johns Hopkins
Chester Springs, Pa. | Downingtown East
Urbanski scored the game-winner just 8:18 into the game as Johns Hopkins beat host and 18th-ranked Franklin & Marshall on Wednesday night. The Blue Jays moved into sole possession of first place with the win.
Defensive Player of the Week
Ava Rivera, Jr., GK, Washington College
Simsbury, Conn. | Ethel Walker School
Rivera went 2-0 with 10 saves and a 0.00 GAA in a 2-0 week for the Shorewomen. On Saturday in a 1-0 double overtime win at Muhlenberg, she turned away six shots with five of the six coming in the second half and overtime as Washington College won in Allentown for the first time in 10 years. In Washngton's 2-0 win over visiting Haverford on Wednesday, she made four saves, all in the second half to preserve the clean sheet.
MEN'S SOCCER
Offensive Player of the Week
Tyson Burling, So., F, Dickinson
Devon, Pa. | Conestoga
Burling tallied three goals and one assist as the Red Devils went 1-0-1 and clinched a playoff spot last week. On Wednesday at fifth-ranked Johns Hopkins, Burling helped the Devils leave Homewood Field with a share of the spoils with a 72nd-minute equalizer when he headed home a cross from Luke Beiles. On Saturday he scored twice and assisted on another goal in a 4-2 victory over Swarthmore. Burling's 13 points this season leads Dickinson and is tied for fifth in the Centennial.
Defensive Player of the Week
Isaac Mintz, So., D, Franklin & Marshall
Rye, N.Y. | Blind Brook
With a number of starters out, including an all-conference goalie, Isaac Mintz helped anchor a defense that held Haverford and Ursinus scoreless and to just four shots on goal during a 2-0 week for the Diplomats. Those results helped Franklin & Marshall take over first place in the Centennial Conference standings heading into next weekend's showdown with Johns Hopkins.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Offensive Player of the Week
Meg Tate, Sr., F, Dickinson
Carlisle, Pa. | Carlisle
Tate scored both goals in a crucial 2-1 victory over Swarthmore as Centennial teams continue to jockey for playoff position heading into the final week of the regular season. The senior forward found the back of the net in the 15th and 23rd minutes to push the Red Devils out to an early 2-0 advantage.
Defensive Player of the Week
Lily Gaston, Fr., D, Johns Hopkins
Bethel Park, Pa. | Bethel Park
Gaston led a defense that posted two shutouts and totaled three goals and one assist in a 2-0 week for the Blue Jays. She fueled a 4-0 win at Penn State Berks as she had a hand in all four goals with her first career hat trick and an assist on the one goal she didn't score in the victory. She is the first Johns Hopkins freshman to record a hat trick since 2017. In addition, the Blue Jay defense allowed a total of just 12 shots in the two games.
VOLLEYBALL
Offensive Player of the Week
Kaylee Zhang, Jr., OH, Swarthmore
San Jose, Calif. | Valley Christian
Zhang averaged 4.80 kills per set with a .452 hitting percentage in a 3-0 week for the regionally-ranked Garnet as they took down Ursinus, Dickinson and Susquehanna. Zhang's top performance came against Dickinson with career-highs of 24 kills and 22 digs in a thrilling 3-1 victory. The junior also collected 11 kills against Ursinus and 13 versus Susquehanna.
Defensive Player of the Week
Evelyn Batista, So., DS, Johns Hopkins
Austin, Texas | James Bowie
Batista helped the Blue Jays to a pair of road sweeps at F&M and Salisbury. She totaled 33 digs (5.5/set) in the two wins with 17 in the featured match of the week at Franklin & Marshall and 16 in the win at Salisbury. She added eight assists and a pair of service aces on the week as well.
MEN'S SWIMMING
Athlete of the Week
Gage Mandrell, Sr., Washington College
Lititz, Pa. | Manheim Township
Mandrell won three individual events and was part of a winning relay team in Washington's quad meet at Gettysburg on Saturday. Gage won all three individual events he competed in, posting top-30 times nationally in each. The senior won the 50 freestyle (21.34), 200 freestyle (1:45.27) and the 200 backstroke (1:55.58). His 200 backstroke time ranks 12th in Division III, while his 50 freestyle time is 15th and his 200 freestyle ranks 29th. He was also part of the winning 400 freestyle relay with Chase Hensen, William Schmidt and Justin Fitzpatrick notched first place with a time of 3:13.16, which ranks ninth in the nation after the opening weekend.
WOMEN'S SWIMMING
Athlete of the Week
Elle Anthony, Fr., Swarthmore
Milton, Mass. | Milton
Anthony earned four first-place finishes in her collegiate debut at the Franklin & Marshall Centennial Quad. Anthony won the 50 freestyle with a 24.56 effort, and then had a first place performance in the 100 freestyle at 53.06. Anthony was also a member of the first place 200 medley (1:47.79) and 400 freestyle (3:37.08) relay teams. Anthony's winning times all rank in the top-15 nationally after the opening weekend (50 free, 14th; 100 free, 9th; 200 medley relay, 7th; 400 free relay, 5th). The Garnet went 3-0 with dual meet victories over Ursinus, Franklin & Marshall and McDaniel.