Athletes of the Week for October 14, 2019
Women’s Cross Country
Sophie Elgamal — University of Chicago — Raleigh, NC (Loomis Chaffee School, CT)
Junior Sophie Elgamal of University of Chicago won the individual title in the 94-runner field at the Benedictine University Invitational with a six-kilometer time of 22:18.2. The second-ranked Maroons won their third consecutive team title and fourth of the season.
Men’s Cross Country
Ivan Frantz — University of Rochester — Hingham, MA (Hingham)
University of Rochester senior Ivan Frantz ran to a runner-up finish in the 273-runner field at the St. Lawrence University Ronald C. Hoffman Invitational, covering the eight-kilometer course in 25:29.6. The Yellowjackets placed fourth of 21 teams.
Football – Offense
Drew Saxton — Case Western Reserve University — South Fayette, PA (South Fayette)
Case Western Reserve University sophomore quarterback Drew Saxton completed 21 of 29 passes for 309 yards and four touchdowns in the Spartans’ 35-19 home win over Washington & Jefferson College. He connected with four different receivers on scoring plays, including a season-long 60-yarder to junior Chase Witte on the first play of the fourth quarter.
Football – Defense
Joshua Smith — Case Western Reserve University — Atlanta, GA (Benjamin E. Mays)
Case Western Reserve University junior linebacker Joshua Smith recorded a career-high four tackles for loss and three sacks in the Spartans’ 35-19 home victory over Washington & Jefferson College. All four of his tackles for loss came on third downs and his three sacks gave him the lead in NCAA Division III with 1.88 sacks per game.
Football – Special Teams
Chris Vartanian — Washington University — Newport Beach, CA (St. Margaret’s Episcopal School)
Washington University freshman kicker Chris Vartanian set a program record with four field goals, all in the first half, in the Bears’ 47-7 win over Elmhurst College. He connected on field goals of 22 yards, 33 yards, and a pair of 42-yarders. He added three touchbacks on kickoffs.
Women’s Golf
Ashley Lung — NYU — Henderson, NV (Coronado)
Junior Ashley Lung was the low scorer for NYU in two tournaments last week. On Tuesday, she captured the individual title at the rain-abbreviated Carnegie Mellon University Tartan Invitational with a one-over par 73. Lung tied for third place in a 54-player field at the NYU Fall Invitational over the weekend with back-to-back rounds of 79. The Violets finished second in both tournaments.
Men’s Golf
Joseph Burlison — NYU — Salinas, CA (Palma)
Sophomore Joseph Burlison broke the NYU 36-hole record with a two-day total of 135, earning individual honors at the Skidmore College Fall Invitational on the par-72 Saratoga National Golf Course. He tied the single-round program record with a five-under par 67 in the opening round and followed that with a four-under par 68 on Sunday to lead the Violets to the team title.
Women’s Soccer – Offense
Claudia Hodgetts — University of Chicago — Tustin, CA (Foothill)
Junior midfielder Claudia Hodgetts scored one goal in each game in a 1-0-1 week for the Maroons. She scored in a 2-0 victory over Carthage College on Tuesday and then netted the tying goal in a 1-1 draw at 19th-ranked University of Rochester on Sunday.
Women’s Soccer – Defense
Emma Schechter — University of Rochester — Belleair, FL (Largo)
Sophomore goalkeeper Emma Schechter made 13 saves in a 1-0-1 week for University of Rochester. She stopped one shot in 51 minutes in a 7-0 Yellowjackets’ rout of Alfred State College on Friday and then made 12 saves in a 1-1 draw with 12th-ranked University of Chicago on Sunday.
Men’s Soccer – Offense
Sahil Modi — University of Chicago — Northbrook, IL (Glenbrook North)
Sophomore midfielder Sahil Modi scored the game-winning goal in the first half of sixth-ranked University of Chicago’s 2-0 road victory over University of Rochester.
Men’s Soccer – Defense
William Jones — Emory University — Asheville, NC (Asheville)
Senior defensive midfielder William Jones anchored an Emory University defense that produced back-to-back 1-0 victories. He played all 180 minutes and helped the Eagles’ defense limit Covenant College and Washington University to a combined seven shots on goal, including one by the Bears.
Women’s Tennis
Jessica Fatemi — Emory University — Potomac, MD (Walter Johnson)
Emory University sophomore Jessica Fatemi won her singles draw and teamed with junior Katie Chang to capture their doubles draw at the Georgia Southern University Fall Shootout. She earned singles wins over opponents from Savannah College of Art & Design, and NCAA Division I Georgia Southern and Arkansas State University.
Volleyball
Leah Saunders — Emory University — Simpsonville, SC (St. Joseph’s Catholic)
Junior Leah Saunders totaled 20 kills and 12 digs to lead Emory University to a key South Region win over Birmingham-Southern College. She recorded her fourth double-double of the season, hitting .395 in the process, in the four-set Eagles’ win.
Elyse Thompson — Emory University — Tallahassee, FL (Leon)
Senior Elyse Thompson totaled a match-high 28 digs for Emory University in a key South Region win over Birmingham-Southern College. She averaged 7.00 digs per set in the four-set win and guided the Eagles’ defense that limited Birmingham-Southern to a .091 hitting percentage.
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Monica Jackson — University of Rochester — Aurora, IL (Oswego East)
University of Rochester senior Monica Jackson won the 50-yard breaststroke (31.73 seconds) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:09.58) against NCAA Division I Canisius College. She placed second in the 50-yard butterfly (26.78 seconds).
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Tamir Zitelny — Brandeis University — Syosset, NY (Syosset)
Brandeis University senior Tamir Zitelny won three events and anchored the winning 200-yard freestyle relay in the Judges’ narrow loss to Roger Williams University. He captured the 50-yard backstroke (24.52 seconds), 50-yard freestyle (22.49 seconds), and the 100-yard backstroke (53.80 seconds).
Chris Bushnell — University of Rochester — Manlius, NY (Christian Brothers Academy)
University of Rochester freshman Chris Bushnell won a pair of events against NCAA Division I Canisius College. He finished first in the 50-yard backstroke (24.76 seconds) and the 100-yard backstroke (53.05 seconds).
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.