Athletes of the Week for October 29, 2018
Women’s Cross Country
Paige Lawler — Washington University — Lexington, MA (Lexington)
Junior Paige Lawler earned individual medalist honors and led Washington University to its fifth consecutive title and 17th in program history at the UAA Women’s Cross Country Championship. She posted a season-best time of 21:15.7 over the six-kilometer course in Somers, Wisconsin. The Bears defeated five nationally ranked teams.
Men’s Cross Country
Brad Hodkinson — Washington University — Snohomish, WA (Snohomish)
Senior Brad Hodkinson earned individual medalist honors and led Washington University to its third consecutive title at the UAA Men’s Cross Country Championship. He led a 1-2-3 finish by the Bears with an eight-kilometer time of 25:19.8. The title was the Bears’ 12th in program history.
Football – Offense
Luke DiFrancesco — Case Western Reserve University — Johnstown, PA (Bishop McCort)
Case Western Reserve University senior wide receiver Luke DiFrancesco caught four passes for 61 yards and a touchdown, helping lead the 22nd-ranked Spartans to a 34-3 win at Bethany College on Saturday. His 14-yard scoring reception midway through the second quarter extended the Spartans’ lead to 10-0. DiFrancesco has reached career-highs this season with 37 catches for 460 yards and six touchdowns.
Football – Defense
Cameron Brown — Case Western Reserve University — Westlake, OH (Westlake)
Senior defensive end Cameron Brown of Case Western Reserve University broke the program’s single-season sack record during the 22nd-ranked Spartans’ 34-3 win at Bethany College on Saturday. He finished the game with three sacks (giving him 14 for the season) for 53 yards of loss, added a forced fumble, and returned his first career interception for 15 yards and a touchdown. Brown keyed the Spartan defense that limited Bethany to 98 yards of total offense, including just 17 rushing yards.
Football – Special Teams
Robertson Albrecht — Case Western Reserve University — Aurora, OH (Aurora)
Freshman kicker Robertson Albrecht hit two field goals and connected on all four of his extra-point attempts in a 34-3 Case Western Reserve University win over Bethany College. He booted field goals of 22 and 24 yards. Albrecht is 4-for-4 on field goals and 41-of-42 on extra points this season.
Women’s Soccer – Offense
Erin Flynn — Washington University — Woodridge, IL (Benet Academy)
First-year midfielder Erin Flynn assisted on both game-winning goals as top-ranked Washington University wrapped up its fourth consecutive UAA title with two home victories. She found junior Taylor Cohen open with 56 seconds remaining in regulation in the Bears’ 1-0 win over 13th-ranked Brandeis University on Friday, and then slid a pass to classmate Ariana Miles in the 58th minute in a 2-0 win over NYU, which entered the contest undefeated in Association play.
Women’s Soccer – Defense
Hannah Menard — Washington University — Winter Park, FL (Lake Highland Prep)
Senior back Hannah Menard anchored the defense as top-ranked Washington University posted a pair of wins to earn its fourth consecutive UAA title. The Bears limited 13th-ranked Brandeis University to one shot on goal in a 1-0 win on Friday, and then did not allow a shot on goal for the eighth time this season in a 2-0 victory over NYU on Sunday.
Men’s Soccer – Offense
Alex Besl — Case Western Reserve University — Cincinnati, OH (St. Xavier)
Case Western Reserve University senior forward Alex Besl scored two game-winning goals and added an assist in three Spartans’ wins. He connected on a header just over three minutes into the first overtime to give the Spartans a 3-2 win over ninth-ranked host University of Rochester and netted the opening goal in a 3-0 blanking of Emory University. Earlier in the week, Besl assisted on the game’s first goal in a 3-1 victory over Westminster College.
Men’s Soccer – Defense
Nicco Capotosto — University of Chicago — Holland, MI (Zeeland East)
University of Chicago senior midfielder Nicco Capotosto was a consistent stopper of the opposing attack as the Maroons remained in first place in the UAA with shutout wins over NYU and Brandeis University. His positioning and deft tackling helped the Maroons allow a combined six shots on goal. Capotosto also assisted on Matthew Koh’s second goal against the Judges in a 2-0 win.
Volleyball
Julianne Malek — Washington University — The Woodlands, TX (John Cooper)
Senior middle hitter Julianne Malek hit .461 with 50 kills and added 21 blocks in a 4-1 week for Washington University. She averaged 2.94 kills and 1.24 blocks per set, adding 10 digs and six service aces. Malek produced 11 kills on 12 attempts in a Bears’ sweep over regionally ranked University of Texas-Dallas and was named to the Washington University Baden Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Zoe Baxter — Washington University — Los Angeles, CA (Havard-Westlake)
Junior Zoe Baxter earned all-tournament honors at the Washington University Baden Invitational and helped the Bears to a 4-1 week. She averaged 5.47 digs per ser, while also contributing 20 assists and four service aces. Baxter totaled a week-high 31 digs in a four-set win over Wartburg College on Saturday.
Women’s Fencing
Joanne Carminucci — Brandeis University — Brewster, NY (North Salem)
Brandeis University senior Joanne Carminucci successfully defended her foil title at the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Fall Invitational. She earned the fourth seed in the direct elimination tournament after going 5-0 with just four touches received in the preliminary rounds. Carminucci posted wins over fencers from Boston College in the quarterfinals and semifinals before besting the top seed from Dartmouth College, 15-9, in the title match.
Men’s Fencing
Ian Quin — Brandeis University — Ramsey, NJ (Ramsey)
Brandeis University junior Ian Quin earned his second consecutive foil title at the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Fall Invitational. He was one of 10 unbeaten fencers in the preliminary rounds and earned the sixth seed. Quin edged his third-seeded opponent from Boston College, 15-14, in the quarterfinals and then posted back-to-back 15-9 victories over opponents from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Boston College in the semifinals and final, respectively.
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Catherine Kuhn — Washington University — Boulder, CO (Fairview)
Washington University junior swimmer Catherine Kuhn won the 1,650-yard freestyle by more than five seconds in a dual meet win over DePauw University. Her time of 18:23.83 ranks third in NCAA Division III in the early season.
Elizabeth Davidson — Washington University — West Des Moines, IA (Valley)
Washington University sophomore diver Elizabeth Davidson claimed the three-meter diving event in the Bears’ dual meet victory over DePauw University. She posted a score of 209.45 to earn the victory.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Brandon Lum — Washington University — Ventura, CA (Ventura)
Washington University senior Brandon Lum swam the fastest time in NCAA Division III in the early season in the 200-yard butterfly as the Bears edged DePauw University in a dual meet. He touched the wall in 1:51.24, more than 1.5 seconds ahead of the next fastest Division III time this season.
Matthew Grottkau — Washington University — Reading, MA (Phillips Academy Andover)
Washington University sophomore diver Matthew Grottkau posted scores of 180.60 on the one-meter board and 169.50 in the three-meter dive in the Bears’ dual meet win over DePauw University,
Athlete of the Week selections are drawn from nominees submitted by member institution coaches and sports information directors. UAA Athletes of the Week are selected in each sport in which the UAA sponsors competition. They are selected on the basis of their individual performances and contributions to team efforts during the past week in both Association and non-Association competition.