Athletes of the Week for February 20, 2017
Women’s Basketball
Alexandra Leslie — University of Rochester — Lancaster, PA (Manheim Township)
Junior forward Alexandra Leslie averaged 26.0 points and 10.5 rebounds as University of Rochester registered key UAA home wins over Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University. She shot 65.4 percent from the floor (17-for-26) and 81.8 percent from the free throw line (18-of-22) in the two games. Leslie totaled 25 points and nine boards in the Yellowjackets’ 86-79 win over the Tartans on Friday and recorded her 12th double-double of the season with 27 points and 12 rebounds in a 79-70 victory over the Spartans.
Men’s Basketball
Jim Gordon — Emory University — Broomall, PA (Malvern Prep)
Emory University senior forward Jim Gordon averaged 27.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, leading the Eagles to UAA home wins over Case Western Reserve University and Carnegie Mellon University. He shot 59.3 percent from the floor (16-for-27) and 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from three-point range in the two contests. Gordon scored 30 points in the Eagles’ 99-92 overtime win over the Spartans and then tallied 25 points, including 21 in the second half, in an 88-73 victory over the Tartans.
Women’s Fencing
Oliwia Szumilo — NYU — Staten Island, NY (College of Staten Island)
NYU first-year fencer Oliwia Szumilo finished 4-1 in the sabre as the Violets split a pair of matches at The Tradition Meet at Columbia University. She improved her season record to 49-18.
Men’s Fencing
Quinten Burgunder — NYU — Chatham, NJ (Chatham)
NYU senior Quinten Burgunder finished 7-1 in the sabre to help lead the Violets to a 3-0 record at The Tradition Meet at Columbia University. He posted a 3-0 mark against Sacred Heart University, 2-0 versus Vassar College, and 2-1 against two-time defending NCAA champion Columbia.
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Kim Hochstedler — Carnegie Mellon University — Mishawaka, IN (Penn)
Carnegie Mellon University junior Kim Hochstedler broke her own program record and swam the seventh-fastest time in NCAA Division III this season in the 200-yard breaststroke at the Kenyon College Fast Chance Meet on Saturday. Her time of 2:18.06 bettered her previous mark by more than two seconds.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Tamir Zitelny — Brandeis University — Syosset, NY (Syosset)
Brandeis University freshman Tamir Zitleny won three events at the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving (NEISDA) Championships, setting three program records and provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Division III Swimming and Diving Championships. He won the 200-yard backstroke (1:51.70), set a meet record in winning the 100-yard backstroke (50.61 seconds), and met the NCAA “B” cut in the 200-yard butterfly (1:52.74). Zitleny also swam on the 200-yard medley relay that broke the program record (1:35.92).
Women’s Indoor Track and Field
Daisy Ogede — Washington University — Richton Park, IL (Western Reserve Acacemy)
Senior Daisy Ogede of Washington University captured the 60-meter hurdles and 60-meter dash in season-best times at the Illinois College Alumni Classic on Friday. Her 60-meter time of 8.98 seconds ranks fourth in NCAA Division III this season and her 60-meter hurdles time of 7.74 seconds ranks eighth in Division III. Ogede teamed up with Anna Cossio, Ashley Knudson, and Annalise Wagner to win the 1,600-meter relay in a time of 3:54.94, which ranks third nationally.
Grace Yee — Carnegie Mellon University — San Francisco, CA (Lick-Wilmerding)
Senior Grace Yee of Carnegie Mellon University broke her own school record in the pole vault at the Ohio State University Tune-Up on Friday. Her mark of 3.71 meters bettered her previous record of 3.56 meters set two weeks ago. Yee currently leads the UAA and is ranked 13th in NCAA Division III this season in the event.
Men’s Indoor Track and Field
Irie Gourde — Brandeis University — Portland, OR (York School, Toronto)
Senior Irie Gourde earned the first Brandeis University Division III New England Championship title in more than a decade by capturing the 200-meter dash in a photo finish of 22.321 seconds. His converted time ranks 18th in NCAA Division III this season. Gourde placed second in the 400-meter dash (50.09 seconds) to garner his second All-New England honor and led the Judges to an 11th-place team finish, their best in more than a decade.
Everett Kleven — Washington University — Mill Creek, WA (Henry M. Jackson)
Senior Everett Kleven of Washington University placed second in the pole vault at the Illinois College Alumni Classic. His height of 4.90 meters ranks eighth in NCAA Division III this season.
Wrestling
Santino Pelusi — NYU — Norristown, PA (La Salle College)
Sophomore Santino Pelusi won his heavyweight bout in a 43-3 NYU win over College of Mount Saint Vincent. His major decision victory helped UAA champion NYU raise its season mark to 18-4.
Softball
Amy Wray — Emory University — Austin, TX (Forest Ridge, WA)
Senior outfielder Amy Wray batted .625 (5-for-8) with two runs scored and three runs batted in as Emory University split four games. She finished 3-for-4 with one RBI in a doubleheader loss against sixth-ranked Berry College before totaling two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI in the Eagles’ doubleheader sweep of Wesleyan College (GA).
Baseball
Chris Young — Emory University — Fullerton, CA (Servite)
Emory University senior catcher Chris Young batted .400 (4-for-10) with a .500 slugging percentage as the Eagles finished 4-0 for the week. He shared the team lead with three runs scored and added a .455 on-base percentage.
Jackson Weeg — Emory University — Woodstock, GA (River Ridge)
Emory University senior hurler Jackson Weeg set the program’s single-game record with 18 strikeouts in the Eagles’ 7-3 win over Washington & Lee University on Saturday. He fanned at least two batters in each of his eight innings, striking out the side in both the fifth and eighth innings. Weeg yielded two earned runs on six hits and walked just one batter.
Women’s Tennis
Nithya Kanagasegar — Case Western Reserve University — Crossville, TN (Cumberland County)
Case Western Reserve University junior Nithya Kanagasegar posted a combined 4-0 record at No. 1 singles and doubles in Spartan wins over Hope College and Kalamazoo College. She teamed with Jessica Liu for an 8-5 win at first doubles and stopped her nationally ranked opponent, 6-1, 7-6 (7-1), in the Spartans’ 6-3 victory over Hope. Kanagasegar teamed with Liu for an 8-4 win at first doubles and dropped a total of only three games in her first singles match in a 9-0 CWRU shutout of Kalamazoo.
Men’s Tennis
Jonathan Jemison — Emory University — Marietta, GA (Lassiter)
Emory University sophomore Jonathan Jemison won all four of his singles decisions, including posting wins over opponents from the top two NAIA teams, as the Eagles opened their spring season. He defeated the second-ranked NAIA player from top-ranked Georgia Gwinnett College 6-4, 7-6 and earned a 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 win over his opponent from the second-ranked NAIA program, Xavier of Louisiana. Jemison also teamed with David Omsky for a pair of doubles wins.
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.