Iona MBB Tabbed No. 14 Seed, To Face No. 3 Oregon In Round Of 64 On Friday In Sacramento

NEW ROCHELLE, NY - The No. 14 seed Iona College men’s basketball team - the back-to-back MAAC Champions - will take on No. 3 Oregon in the Round of 64 as part of the Midwest Region of the 2017 NCAA Championship at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA on Friday, March 17. Tip off is yet to be determined.

Oregon claimed a No. 3 seed after achieving a 29-5 overall mark, and 16-2 in Pac-12 Conference play, tying for a first place finish in the regular season with Arizona. The Ducks were ranked No. 5 in both the USA Today Coaches and AP polls last Monday, March 6.

The winner will take on No. 6 Creighton / No. 11 Rhode Island on Saturday (Mar. 19). The selection marks the 12th NCAA appearance for the Gaels (22-12, 12-8 MAAC) and first back-to-back trips since appearances in 2012 and 2013.

This will be the first meeting between the two programs. This marks the fourth appearance for the Gaels under Head Coach Tim Cluess while the Ducks mark a fifth straight tournament berth.

Ticket Information

If you are interested in purchasing tickets to this game please contact Joe Scribani in the Iona College Ticket Office at athletics@iona.edu. Season ticket holders interested should call 914-633-2491.

The MAAC along with Canisius and Niagara Host the First & Second Rounds of the 2017 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship in Buffalo, NY
No. 12 Quinnipiac Draws No. 5 Marquette in First Round of 2017 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship

EDISON, NJ – 2016-17 MAAC Champions, No. 12 seed Quinnipiac University (27-6, 17-3 MAAC) takes on No. 5 seed Marquette University (25-7, 13-5 Big East) in the First Round of the 2017 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship from Coral Gables, FL on Saturday, March 18 at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN2.

NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship Schedule

First Round: March 17-18

Second Round: March 19-20

Sweet 16: March 24-25

Elite Eight: March 26-27

Final Four: March 31

Championship Final: April 2

The Bobcats are set to play in their third NCAA Tournament in the program’s Division I history, which dates to 1998-99. Quinnipiac has made it to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in the last five years and it is the second time that they’ll represent the MAAC. This marks the sixth consecutive national postseason appearance for the Bobcats.

Quinnipiac is currently on a 10-game winning streak dating to February 4. The Bobcats claimed their second MAAC Championship in program history with an 81-73 defeat of Rider University in the MAAC Women’s Basketball Championship Final on Monday, March 6 at the Times Union Center in Albany, NY.

Sophomore guard/forward Aryn McClure paced Quinnipiac en route to its victory in the Championship Final. The sophomore scored a career-high 28 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the field and 12-of-14 shooting from the free-throw line. McClure was one of four Bobcats’ to receive All-Championship honors.

Red-shirt senior guard Adily Martucci was named the 2017 MAAC Women’s Basketball Championship MVP. Martucci, an All-MAAC Second Team selection averaged 16.3 points per game over the course of the conference Championship. Red-shirt sophomore forward Jen Fay and junior guard Carly Fabbri rounded out the All-Championship team for Quinnipiac.

Quinnipiac ranked first in the MAAC in scoring offense (68.2), scoring defense (56.6), scoring margin (+11.6), field goal percentage defense (35.7%), blocked shots per game (5.0), assists per game (16.0), steals per game (11.2), turnover margin (+5.58), and assist/turnover ratio (1.1).

Monmouth Basketball Concludes 27-Win Season Against Ole Miss in NIT

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ- Monmouth University’s (27-7) men’s basketball’s season came to an end on Tuesday night at home, falling to Ole Miss (21-13) 91-83 in the first round of the NIT.

Justin Robinson (Lake Katrine, NY/Kingston) closed out his storied career with a game-high 23 points, scoring his 2000th point on a three-pointer late in the second half. Je’lon Hornbeak (Arlington, TX/Grace Prep [Oklahoma]) finished second in scoring with 18 points, all coming from beyond the arc. It was just the second time this season that Monmouth fell at home. It was the final game for seniors Robinson, Hornbeak, Chris Brady (Greenlawn, NY/Harborfields), Josh James (Greenburgh, NY/Archbishop Stepinac) and Collin Stewart (Glenville, NY/Mekeel Christian Academy) who led the Hawks to 55 wins over the last two seasons and back-to-back Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference regular season titles.

Monmouth started hot, going 4-for-5 on from the floor to take an 11-7 lead over the Rebels early. The Hawks cooled off and Ole Miss went on a 10-3 run to take its first lead of the game heading into the second media break. Louie Pillari’s (Tinton Falls, NJ/Christian Brothers Academy) corner trey knotted the game up at 21 with just over nine minutes to play in the opening stanza. Hornbeak’s three pointer with 7:54 left put MU up 26-22, with Monmouth holding a 42-39 advantage going into halftime.

The teams traded buckets and leads over the first 13 minutes of the second half with Ole Miss holding a 70-67 lead with 7:18 left in regulation. Robinson banged home a three to cut the Rebel lead to three at 76-73 but Ole Miss responded with a 5-0 run to take its largest lead of the game with 3:12 left. Hornbeak and Robinson hit a pair of threes with under two minutes to play to cut the Rebel lead to five but Sebastian Saiz hit a layup to put the game out of reach for the Hawks.

NOTES AND QUOTES

“It’s hard to be down when you realize what we’ve done in our careers. It hurts but it’s hard to be down about it.” –senior guard Justin Robinson

“The younger guys had a season with the guys who changed Monmouth University. Not just the basketball team, everything. – head coach King Rice

  • Justin Robinson scored his 2000th career point came on a three pointer with 4:33 to play.
  • He becomes the second Hawk ever to score 2,000 points, joining Ron Kornegay.
  • The game was played with the new “experimental rules”, including no one-and-one foul shooting and fouls resetting after the first 10 minutes of the half.
  • Monmouth first team all-conference selection Micah Seaborn did not play in the game due to injury, his second career missed game.
  • The Hawks finished the season 13-2 at home and 24-4 over the last two seasons
  • Monmouth’s defense forced 16 Ole Miss turnovers.
  • Austin Tilghman made his first career start.
  • Chris Brady finished his career with 150 blocks, third all time.
  • Robinson notched a game high seven assists, moving into second all time alone.
  • Robinson finished as just the second player in school history to play 4,000 minutes.

NUMBERS CRUNCH

  • Monmouth converted 8-of-19 three pointers in the first half
  • The lead changed a total of 12 times, including seven times in the first half
  • Robinson finished with 23 points and seven assists. It marked his 42nd career game with at least 20 points
  • After Monmouth led 42-39 heading into the second half, Ole Miss outscored the Hawks 52-41 in the second half
  • Robinson played a game-high 40 minutes

MAAC Sixth Man of the Year Austin Tilghman (Wilmington, DE/Archbishop Carroll [PA]) started for the first time in his career, and scored in double-figures for the ninth time this season

Diago Quinn (New York City, NY/Lake Forest Academy [IL]) scored a career-high 11 points in the loss.

Sebastian Saiz finished with the game’s only double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds.

UP NEXT

The Hawks finished the 2016-17 season with an overall record of 27-7, the first time in school history MU has posted 20+ wins in consecutive seasons.

Rider Takes on Virginia Tech in its First-Ever Postseason WNIT Appearance on Friday, March 17

EDISON, NJ - Rider University (24-8, 16-4 MAAC) takes on Virginia Tech (17-13, 4-12 ACC) in the first round of the 2017 Postseason WNIT on Friday, March 17 at 7:00 p.m. from Blacksburg, VA. The Broncs first round matchup with the Hokies marks their first Postseason WNIT appearance in program history. It is also the first meeting in history between Rider and Virginia Tech.

Postseason WNIT Schedule:

Round 1: March 15-17

Round 2: March 18-21

Round 3: March 22-24

Quarterfinals: March 25-27

Semifinals: March 29-30

Championship: Saturday, April 1 (3 p.m. ET)

About the Postseason WNIT:

The Women's National Invitation Tournament is an annual tournament involving 64 of the nation's top women's Division I basketball teams. All games, including the semifinals and championship, are hosted by participating schools. Every round is single elimination.

Saint Peter's Men's Basketball Heads to Albany for First Round of CIT

JERSEY CITY, NJ – The Saint Peter's men's basketball team will open up play in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) on Thursday, March 16 at the SEFCU Arena against the University at Albany. Tip time is set for 7p.m.

The Peacocks will play in a national postseason tournament for the first time since 2010-11 when the team earned a berth into the NCAA Tournament.

The Peacocks finished the regular season with a 14-6 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) record and a 19-13 overall mark. The 14 MAAC wins were a program record and the second place regular season finish was the best for a Peacock team since the 1988-89 campaign.

The Peacocks boasted one of the top scoring defenses in the country and led the league in five team statistical categories. Senior center Quadir Welton (Philadelphia, PA / Math, Civics and Science Charter) earned All-MAAC first team honors and led the team in scoring (12.1 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg) during the season. Senior guard Trevis Wyche (Neptune, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) earned All-MAAC second team honors for the second consecutive year after averaging 11.4 points per game and leading the Peacocks in assists and the conference in assists to turnover ratio. Junior Nick Griffin (Rockville, MD/Col. Zadok Magruder (George Washington)) added 9.3 points per outing and sophomore Antwon Portley (Lancaster, TX/Lancaster) chipped in 7.8 points per contest. Senior Chazz Patterson (Browns Mills, NJ/Trenton Catholic) ranked second in the MAAC in steals per game and was named the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first Peacock to win the honor and first Saint Peter's major award recipient since 2006. The Peacocks are coming off of a 73-65 loss to eventual MAAC champion, Iona College in the semifinal round of the 2017 MAAC Championship.

The UAlbany Great Danes enter the CIT with a 21-13 overall record on the season. Albany posted a 10-6 America East record and entered the conference tournament as the No. 3 seed. The Great Danes made it to the America East title game for the fourth time in five seasons, falling to Vermont, 56-53 on Saturday in the championship game. This will be Albany's sixth straight postseason appearance. The Great Danes appeared in the CIT in 2012, hosting MAAC foe Manhattan, and falling 89-79, to the Jaspers. Albany then made three straight trips to the NCAA tournament from 2013-15, before playing in the CBI last year. This will be the first meeting between the two programs.

Tickets for the game are available through the UAlbany ticket office. Court side seats are $10, chairbacks are $7 and bleacher seats are $5.

At least 28 CIT games will be broadcast exclusively through Facebook Live, including all first round, second round and quarterfinal matchups. This enables the CIT to bring the excitement of postseason basketball to Facebook's global community of sports fans, which includes more than 650 million people connected to at least one sports Page on the platform.

The CIT semifinals and championship will be broadcast on CBS Sports for the fifth consecutive year.

Canisius Men's Basketball Draws Samford in 2017 CIT

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. – Sophomore center Wyatt Walker posted a double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds, and Samford ended the night shooting 56.4 percent from the field, as the host Bulldogs defeated Canisius 78-74 Tuesday in the Pete Hanna Center in the first round of the 2017 CIT. The win moves Samford to 20-15 on the year, while the Golden Griffins see their season come to an end with an 18-16 overall mark.

With the victory, Samford moves on to the second round of the CIT, with an opponent and game date to be announced. This marks the fifth time in Samford’s Division I history where the team scored 20 wins in a season.

Canisius had two players register double-figures in the loss, led by junior guard Kassius Robertson, who scored a game-high 24 points for the Blue and Gold. Senior Phil Valenti scored 16 points to go with eight boards and a career-high seven assists in his final game as a Griff.

Canisius, which was playing its first game in 11 days, started off slow, and trailed by as many as 11 in the first half, but a 15-2 scoring run just before halftime put the Blue and Gold in the lead at the intermission at 34-33. In the second half, Samford and Canisius were on fire from the field, as the two teams combined to shoot 65 percent from the floor. Canisius trailed by two at 72-70 with 1:27 left to play, but the Bulldogs pushed their cushion to four at 74-70 after Demetrius Denzel-Dyson grabbed an offensive rebound and laid one home for two of his 15 points on the night. Samford sealed the win with four makes from the free-throw line in the contests’ closing 37 seconds.

Junior Jermaine Crumpton scored eight points in the loss, while senior Kiefer Douse added since points, three assists and two steals in his final game in a Canisius uniform. Freshman Isaiah Reese was good for six points, six boards and five assists for Canisius, which shot 52.4 percent from the field, but just 25 percent (5-for-20) from 3-point range.

Head Coach Reggie Witherspoon’s Postgame Comments

“We got off to a tough start, that’s for sure. We missed shots – open shots – and they were able to take advantage to get out to that early lead. I think it took some time for us to get in a rhythm offensively, but once we did, I thought our guys really showed some toughness to fight back and get us into the game.”

“In each of the last two games we played, we dealt with a lot of foul trouble. That made this an uphill battle. It forced us to run some different rotations, and I feel like that really set us back. It’s hard to win games when the guys you count on most can’t be on the floor because they get multiple fouls in a quick timeframe.”

“Listen, it’s no secret, if you attack us and get the ball inside, we struggle. Give Samford credit, they did some good things to get the ball into their big guys and let them get to the rim. We tried so many things this year, and tonight, to slow that down, but we ran into a really talented kid in Wyatt Walker.”

Inside the Box Score

• Canisius was out rebounded by Samford by a 30-26 count.

• Samford scored 50 points in the paint, while the Griffs were credited with a season-high 54 points in the paint.

• Canisius was out scored 15-2 in second-chance points.

• The Griffs were credited with 22 assists in the loss, with four different players recording multiple assists on the night.

Game Notes

• This was the first meeting between the two programs.

• Canisius is now 4-4 all-time in four CIT appearances.

• Valenti ends his career as a Griff with 1,353 career points, which ranks 12th all-time in program history.

• Robertson’s 98 makes from 3-point land ranks second all-time for makes in a single-season by a Canisius player.

Fairfield Men's Basketball Heads To UMBC For CIT Opener

FAIRFIELD, CT -- The Fairfield University men's basketball season will continue on Wednesday, March 15 when the Stags will play at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) in the opening round of the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Game time is slated for 7 pm. Fairfield received its fourth bid to this postseason event in the last six seasons.

The Stags earned the right to play in the tournament after finishing the 2016-17 campaign with a 16-14 overall record and an 11-9 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) record, a finish which earned the team the fifth seed in the 2017 MAAC Basketball Championship. Fairfield reached the quarterfinals of the tournament before being eliminated by tournament finalist Siena College.

Tyler Nelson led all Fairfield scorers in that MAAC quarterfinal game, netting 25 points along with dishing off a team-best four assists. The junior has been the top scorer in 15 games by himself and a co-leader three additional times. Nelson leads the team in scoring with a 19.1 scoring average, a number which also ranks second in the MAAC.

Amadou Sidibe grabbed seven rebounds in the Siena game, which brought his team-leading rebounding average to 9.3 caroms per contest. He places second in the MAAC for rebounding and remains nationally-ranked in the category, placing 40th in Division I.

UMBC bring an 18-12 overall record into the tournament, placing third in the nation for most improved team after winning seven games a year ago. The team places 25th in the nation with an 81.4 team scoring average and 22nd in the nation with 9.6 three pointers per game. Jairus Lyles leads the team in scoring with 19 points per game. Will Darley represents the team's top three-point threat, netting 76 long-range shots in his 30 starts.

Iona’s Liam Dee Finishes in Seventh at 2017 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship Men’s Mile Final

COLLEGE STATION, TX – Iona College junior distance runner Liam Dee finished in seventh place in the Men’s 1 Mile Final at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. Dee crossed the line in a time of 4:07.82 and earned All-America First Team honors for his performance.

Dee qualified for the Mile Final yesterday when he recorded a time of 4:00.72 in the second heat of the preliminary race. His time placed him in eighth place out of 16 participants and was one of the top 10 runners to advance to today’s final event.

On Sunday, March 12, ESPN2 will be re-airing the entire 2017 NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships at 7:00 p.m. Be sure to check out all the results from the NCAA Division I Championships here.

Iona Men’s Outdoor Track & Field season kicks off March 24 & 25 at the Monmouth Season Opener in West Long Branch, NJ.

MAAC Divers Compete at NCAA Zone “A” Qualifier Diving Championships

CHRISTIANSBURG, VA – The NCAA Zone “A” Qualifier Diving Championships concluded on March 8, at Virginia Tech University at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center. Canisius College, Marist College, Niagara University, and Rider University men’s and women’s divers each represented the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC).

Junior Travis Wright of Canisius placed 11th in the men’s three-meter diving championship (649.75 total score after six dives), sophomore Vivian Mroz of Canisius placed 27th in the preliminary one-meter round (228.15), while senior Brent Carbone of Canisius finished 29th in the three-meter preliminary round with a score of 263.15. Wright also finished 10th in the men’s three-meter prelim event (328.8) and advanced to the final placing 11th (325.9). Fellow teammate, Brent Carbone placed 34th in the preliminary rounds with a score of 236.55. Mroz placed 48th in the women’s three-meter prelim event (205.10).

This was the first time that three Griffs qualified to compete in the NCAA Zone “A” Championship, with Mroz being the first female diver in program history to qualify.

Junior Megan Berardelli and junior Peter Gallino competed for Marist. Berardelli placed 39th in the three-meter dive (224.85) and 46th in the one-meter (190.80). Gallino placed 23rd with 288.40 points in the three-meter dive and 14th out of 39 divers on the one-meter dive tallying 587.65 total points.

Niagara senior JaRon Williams earned 30th place with a score of 259.80 in the three-meter dive. He also placed in 37th in the one-meter preliminary dives (208.35).

Sophomore Joseph Warker competed for Rider. He scored 222.55 points placing 38th in the men’s three-meter preliminary rounds. He also registered 215.75 points in the one-meter for 36th place in the preliminary round event.

Marist College to Host 2017 MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship

EDISON, NJ – The 2017 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Championship (MAAC) Men's Lacrosse Championship will be held at Marist College from Friday, May 5 – Sunday, May 7. The top four teams in the conference will participate in the championship at Tenney Stadium at Leonidoff Field on the campus of Marist College.

The 2017 MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship Game will take place on Sunday, May 7 LIVE on ESPNU at 10 a.m.

For all up-to-date information on the 2017 MAAC Men’s Lacrosse Championship, visit maacsports.com/menslax

Marist's J.D. Recor Selected As Senior CLASS Award Candidate

OVERLAND PARK, KS - Marist senior J.D. Recor was selected as one of 20 candidates nationwide for the Senior CLASS Award in collegiate men’s lacrosse it was announced March 9.

This is the second straight year the Marist men’s lacrosse program has had a Senior CLASS Award candidate and the Marist athletics department has now has four candidates for the honor in the last two years.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School, the Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence: community, classroom, character and competition.

Recor broke Marist’s all-time assists record in the Red Foxes’ most recent victory over Drexel in their home opener March 4. The previous record had been held by Chris Pistello for nearly two decades. In Saturday’s contest Recor also became the fourth Red Fox to reach 200 career points. Recor is 14 assists shy of breaking the all-time Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record. He is currently on a 33-game point streak dating back to last season, a streak that puts him tied for 13th in the nation. Entering this weekend he is in the top five in the country in three of the six NCAA active career offensive categories: assists (116; first), points (201; third), assists per game (2.19; third).

In more than three years at Marist, Recor has given back to the local and campus communities. At the start of each fall semester he has volunteered for Freshman Move-In Day and he has been active in the annual Hunger Walk and Giving Tree around the holidays. He has also participated in the Friends of Jaclyn Angel Walk, which honors and remembers all children and families affected by pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers, as well as the Make the World Purple Walk for domestic violence prevention. Recor made weekly visits to the Poughkeepsie Children’s Home last semester, helping the children with their homework and leading physical activity programs.

The 20 Senior CLASS award candidates will be narrowed down to 10 finalists in April. The finalists will be placed on the official ballot for nationwide voting among media, coaches and fans. The Senior CLASS Award winner will be announced in conjunction with the 2017 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse National Championship in May.

Canisius' Evans, VanLaeken & Manhattan's Sandford Earn MAAC Women's Lacrosse Weekly Honors

Offensive Player of the Week

Erica Evans, Canisius

Jr., M, Peterborough, Ontario/St. Peter's Secondary

Junior Erica Evans recorded five goals and seven points in a 23-12 win over Duquesne Wednesday afternoon, adding five ground balls, four draw controls, and two caused turnovers. The midfielder matched her goal (5) and point (7) totals from Wednesday in an 18-10 win over Michigan from Michigan Stadium Sunday afternoon. Evans scored three goals in a 5-0 run that gave the Griffs an 8-4 first half lead, while also recording two goals in another 4-0 run in the second half to put the game away for good. Evans totaled five ground balls, four draw controls, and four caused turnovers in the win.

Defensive Player of the Week

Rebecca VanLaeken, Canisius

Jr., GK, Canandaigua, NY/Canandaigua Academy

Rebecca VanLaeken went 2-0 on the week with wins over Duquesne and Michigan. In a 23-12 win over Duquesne on Wednesday, VanLaeken made 12 saves along with one groundball. In an 18-10 win over Michigan Sunday, Vanlaeken stopped 13 shots, while adding one ground ball. The goalkeeper totaled 25 saves overall on 21 goals, while posting a 11.12 GAA and a .543 saves percentage.

Rookie of the Week

Emily Sandford, Manhattan

Fr., M, Floral Park, NY/Sacred Heart

Freshman Emily Sandford recorded five points in the Jaspers’ 16-3 win over Saint Mary’s on Sunday. She had four goals, including the game-winner, while also tallying an assist. Sandford scored on all four of her shot attempts and went 2-2 on free position opportunities. On Wednesday against Lafayette, she picked up two ground balls and registered a draw control.

Radziewicz, Pena & Madonna Named to Johnny Bench Award Watch List

Fairfield's Kevin Radziewicz, Manhattan's Fabian Pena and Siena's Phil Madonna are three of the 85 finalists that were named to the 2017 Johnny Bench Award Watch List. The award is presented annually to the top Division I catcher.

Radziewicz helped the Stags offensively and defensively last season in their way to a MAAC Championship. At the plate, Radziewicz was a constant source of clutch hits: batting .364 with two outs, .333 with runners on base, and .357 against lefties. He attained 67 hits during the 2016 season, the fifth most in single season program history. 47 of those hits came in Fairfield victories when he batted .423, the highest average on the squad. His hottest stretch came in a 20-day stretch in May when he hit an even .500 with a .619 slugging percentage, also earning a spot on the MAAC All-Tournament Team.

2017 Preseason Player of the Year, Fabian Pena, is hitting .278 with a team-best 10 hits and three doubles while throwing out 42.9 percent (6-of-14) of runners attempting to steal. Pena was named MAAC Preseason Player of the Year in various publications and was the 2015-16 MAAC Rookie of the Year.

A native of Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, Madonna is hitting .231 through his first 10 games (eight starts) of the 2017 season with a home run and three RBI. A 2016 MAAC All-Tournament Team selection, he is a career. 266 hitter in 84 games (66 starts) with 27 RBI. Behind the plate, Madonna has thrown out 25.8% (24 of 93) of would-be base stealers throughout his career while posting a .986 fielding percentage.

The 2017 Johnny Bench Award presented by BaseballSavings.com is administered by the Greater Wichita Area Sports Commission, and will be awarded at the 20th Annual Greater Wichita Sports Banquet on June 29. The watch list will be updated to include additional candidates up through May 1, before being narrowed down to semifinalists on May 17. Ballots will be sent to the national voting panel at the end of May for a vote to determine the three finalists who will be announced on June 5. A final vote among the national committee will occur during the College World Series, and all finalists will be brought to Wichita for the announcement of the winner.

Quinnipiac's Batten, Rider's Margevicus & Niagara's Battaglia Earn MAAC Baseball Weekly Awards

Player of the Week

Matthew Batten, Quinnipiac

Sr., 6-0, INF, Shelton, CT/St. Joseph (CT)

Batten went a combined 7-for-13 this weekend, scoring four runs to go along with three RBI’s. The senior registered back-to-back three-hit games on Saturday and Sunday at VMI, raising his batting average to .333 so far this year.

Pitcher of the Week

Nick Margevicus, Rider

Jr., 6-5, LHP, North Royalton, OH/Saint Ignatius

In his third start of the season, Nick Margevicius went seven innings and allowed three earned runs in a victory against Georgia last week. Margevicius picked up his second win of the season as he scattered five hits and fanned three Bulldogs.

Rookie of the Week

Peter Battaglia, Niagara

Fr., 6-2, 1B/OF, Williamsville, NY/Williamsville North

Battaglia had seven RBI, six hits and two runs scored in NU’s week against Virginia Tech and Marshall. Against Marshall on March 11, Battaglia had three RBI and two hits. He had at least one hit in each of the four games Niagara played. He finished the week batting .400, had a slugging percentage of .533 and an on base percentage of .500.

Quinnipiac's Drake, Manhattan's Matazinsky & Gebhardt Take Home MAAC Softball Weekly Awards

Player of the Week

Rebecca Drake, Quinnipiac

So., INF/OF, Whiting, NJ/ Donovan Catholic

Quinnipiac University sophomore Rebecca Drake helped the Bobcats to a 3-2 record at the CSUN/LMU Tournament in California. Over the weekend, Drake hit .500 (8-16) with three home runs, two of which were hit in Quinnipiac’s 11-3 win over Bryant. Drake dove in five runs and did not commit an error in any game.

Pitcher of the Week

Briana Matazinsky, Manhattan

Jr., P/INF, Valley Falls, NY/Tamarac

Manhattan College junior Briana Matazinsky went 2-1 with a 1.31 ERA in three starts last week. She also struck out 10 while issuing just two walks in the three games. Against Hartford on Tuesday, Matazinsky threw a complete game, yielding just two unearned runs on six hits with four strikeouts in the 9-2 victory. After retiring nine straight Stetson hitters between the second and fourth innings on Friday night, she capped the week with a five-inning complete game against Columbia on Sunday. Matazinsky allowed one run on six hits and struck out four without a walk in the 9-1 win.

Rookie of the Week

Christine Gebhardt, Manhattan

Fr., INF, Middletown, NJ/Middletown North

Christine Gebhardt had six hits and six RBIs in Manhattan’s seven games last week. In game one of the doubleheader against Hartford on Tuesday, she recorded two hits, including a three-run triple, and scored a pair of runs. Gebhardt then doubled in the second game of the doubleheader before hitting another double against North Dakota State in the first game of the Stetson Westin Invitational on Friday. She delivered an RBI single against host Stetson on Friday night, then finished 1-4 with a run scored and an RBI in the win over Colgate on Saturday.

Rider University Men & Monmouth University Women Selected 2017 MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Preseason Favorites

EDISON, NJ – Rider University Men and Monmouth University Women have been named preseason favorites to win the 2017 MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, according to a vote of the league’s head coaches.

Earlier this year, the Broncs Men’s team captured their first Indoor Track & Field Championship at the New Balance Armory Track and Field Center. The Broncs finished in first place with 149 points, followed by Monmouth University in second with 146 points. Rider was led by junior Tyree Adams, who won the Men’s Long Jump and was awarded Most Outstanding Performer in Field Events. Returning for the Broncs is senior Johnathan Jackson, who won the 800m run at the 2017 Indoor Championships and senior Erik Adamcik, who finished first in the Pole Vault.

The Broncs earned a total of 60 points, while receiving four first place votes. In second place and also receiving four first place votes is Monmouth University, who finished with a total of 59 points. In third place is Manhattan College with 47 points, fourth place is Iona College with 42 points, and in fifth place is Saint Peter’s University with 26 points. In sixth place is Canisius College with 23 points, Marist College in seventh with 18 points, and rounding out the Men’s side is Siena College with 13 points.

Monmouth University Women’s team will look to make it four straight MAAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. At the 2017 Indoor Championships, the Hawks captured their fourth straight Indoor Championships and finished with 208.5 points. Competing for the Hawks is senior Casey Sturts, who took home first place in the Pole Vault at the 2017 Indoor Championships and was also awarded Most Outstanding Performer for in Field Events. Also, returning for Monmouth is freshman Jordan Wildermuth, who was awarded Rookie of the Meet in Field Events with her first place finish in the Women’s Weight Throw at the 2017 Indoor Championships.

The Hawks earned a total of 99 points, receiving all but one first place vote. In second place and receiving one first place vote is Rider with a total of 91 points. In third place is Manhattan with 77 points, in fourth place is Quinnipiac University with 73 points, and Iona finishes in fifth place with 60 points. In sixth place is Marist with 50 points and in seventh place is Siena with 32 points. Canisius College and Niagara University are tied for eighth place with 24 points and coming in 10th place on the women’s side is Saint Peter’s University with 20 points.

Hardy, Vilander, & Fernandez Take Home Weekly Awards

Offensive Player of the Week

Erica Hardy, Wagner

Sophomore, Attack, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Sophomore attack Erica Hardy dominated offensively as the Seahawks went 2-2 at the Harvard Invitational with losses to nationally-ranked No. 11 Princeton and No. 13 Indiana. Hardy registered a season-high six goals in the Green & White’s 15-4 victory over University of Toronto. The sophomore standout registered three goals alone in the first quarter before cashing in for three more in the second half. Hardy’s double hat trick is the highest number of goals scored in a single game by a Seahawk this season. The Canadian later recorded a hat trick in Wagner’s hard fought 6-5 loss to No. 13 Indiana. After losing to Indiana 10-2 earlier in the season, the Seahawks played an even matchup with the Hoosiers behind Hardy’s three goals and two field blocks. Hardy capped off the Harvard Invitational with three points in the weekend finale in Wagner’s 4-3 triumph over No. 19 Harvard. She netted the first goal of the contest on a power play opportunity before dishing out two assists. Hardy’s final assist came with 20 seconds remaining in the contest as rookie Millie Pullyblank netted the go-ahead goal for the Seahawks. Defensively, the sophomore had one steal, three field blocks, and two drawn exclusions against the Crimson.

Defensive Player of the Week

Britten Vilander, Iona

Junior, Goalkeeper, Santa Barbara, CA

In two contests this week against No. 14 Indiana and No. 16 UC San Diego, junior Britten Vilander totaled an outstanding 27 saves and six steals.In Iona’s defeat to Indiana, Vilander made 13 saves and allowed 15 goals, while adding one steal. The following afternoon, the Santa Barbara, California native stopping 14 shots from UC San Diego, and grabbing fives steals against the No. 16 team in the country. On the year, she now has a .464 save percentage and has amassed 22 steals.

Rookie of the Week

Diana Fernandez, Siena

Freshman, Attack, Chicago, IL

Diana Fernandez totaled five goals for the Saints during their three games at the Harvard Invite, including two versus #16 UC San Diego. Fernandez also added three assists, 11 ejections drawn, and three steals over the weekend. Fernandez remains the conference's rookie leader in goals (26) and points (39).

Dee, Reed Earn Student-Athlete of the Week Awards

Liam Dee, Iona College

Indoor Track | Junior | Welwyn, England / Richard Hale School

Junior Liam Dee had an impressive showing at the NCAA Indoor track & Field Championships this past weekend. Qualifying for the NCAA Indoor Track and Field Championships at Texas A&M with a mile time of 3:58.19, the Welwyn, England native earned First Team All-America honors with a seventh place finish in the mile race final.

On Friday, March 10, Dee earned an automatic spot in the Championship finals by placing eighth in the preliminary race with a recorded time of 4:00.72 in the second heat. In the championship race on Saturday, March 11, Dee used an impressive final 800-meter stretch to post a final mile time of 4:07.82.

Dee became the first Gael to compete in the NCAA Indoor Mile race since 2014 when Matthew Gillespie competed in the preliminary race at the Albuquerque Convention. Freshman Josh Kerr of New Mexico ran a 4:03.22 to edge out senior Edward Cheserek of Oregon (4:05.42) for the Individual National Championship.

The Iona outdoor track & field season begins on Friday, March 24 at the Monmouth Season Opener/Multi Duals in West Long Branch, NJ.

Tori Reed, Fairfield University

Softball | Senior | Dover, DE / Poly Tech

The senior catcher from Dover, Delaware is off to a hot start during her senior campaign. She has started all 13 games behind the plate and bats in the three hole of the Stags’ lineup. She posts a .326 average and is second on the team in both hits (15) and RBI (9).

In the classroom, the Psychology major holds a 3.65 cumulative GPA and is a two-time selection to the MAAC All-Academic Team.

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