The NESCAC has released its Players of the Week for the week ending of September 21. The conference recognizes student-athletes for each sport based on their contributions to their team each week based on information provided by the athletic communications offices on each campus. During the fall season, football, field hockey, men's soccer, women's soccer, and volleyball will be announced on Mondays, while cross country performers of the week will be announced on Tuesdays when selected.
NESCAC Field Hockey Player of the Week | Weekly Release
Grace Keefe – Middlebury – Sr. - Defender – Forward Danbury, Conn.
Keefe tallied a career-best five points (2G, 1A) to push the squad to a 3-2 overtime victory over No. 9-ranked Amherst in a top 10 NESCAC showdown in the lone game of the week for the Panthers. After knotting the game early in the second half, Keefe came in clutch late in regulation, collecting a deflected ball and firing a cross-body shot that tucked inside the left post with 2.4 seconds remaining to make it 2-2. In the extra session, the Panther collected a saved shot and sent it toward the left post to collect the assist on the golden goal with 1:51 left in the first overtime. Through six contests, Keefe has played all but two minutes for Middlebury.
NESCAC Football Co-Offensive Players of the Week | Weekly Release
Marek Hill – Amherst – So. – QB - Oak Park, Ill.
Hill completed 25 of 35 (71.4 percent) pass attempts, good for 226 yards and two touchdowns without an interception in a 23-13 win over Hamilton. The sophomore also ran nine times for 109 yards (12.1 yards per rush), including a 57-yard touchdown scamper that gave Amherst a 7-0 lead en route to scoring 23 straight points.
Owen Johansen – Williams – Jr. – QB – Northport, N.Y.
Johansen accounted for five touchdowns in the Ephs’ 38-0 home-opener victory over Colby. The junior rushed 11 times for 223 yards and three touchdowns, to go along with completing 10 of 17 passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
NESCAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Cameron Pineda – Tufts – So. – CB – Miami, Fla.
Pineda had his best game as a Jumbo on Saturday in a 22-20 win over Wesleyan in Tufts’ home opener. The cornerback had the most pivotal play of the game, returning an interception 64 yards for a touchdown to put the Jumbos up 14-7. He also added eight tackles, including a team-high seven solo stops. The interception was the first of his career.
NESCAC Football Co-Special Teams Player of the Week
Nolan O’Brien – Trinity – Sr. – WR - Sudbury, Mass.
O'Brien averaged 28.7 yards per return, logging 115 yards on four punt returns to help Trinity to a 30-13 victory over Bates. Leading 7-0 after grabbing a 12-yard touchdown pass, O'Brien became the first Bantam since DeVante Reid in 2019 to register a punt return touchdown, knifing his way through the Bobcats' defense from 79 yards out to push Trinity ahead 14-0.
Dazer van Leeuwen – Tufts – Sr. – LB – Katy, Texas
With the Jumbos leading 17-14, van Leeuwen blocked a punt out of the back of the end zone to make the score 19-14. Tufts would add another field goal and ended up winning by two as the safety on the blocked punt ended up being the difference in the game. The senior added three tackles as the special teams group was the determining factor in the win.
NESCAC Men's Soccer Player of the Week | Weekly Release
Riley Harvey – Wesleyan - Fy. – Defender – Potomac, Md.
Harvey scored his first career goal just as time expired in a 1-0 win at Bates on Saturday. The Cardinals lined up a corner kick with four seconds showing on the clock and the left-footed corner from Aiden Londergan was headed in by Harvey in what was the last touch of the game. Harvey's contributions on defense also helped the Cardinals keep a clean sheet in the 1-0 shutout win over the Bobcats.
NESCAC Women's Soccer Player of the Week | Weekly Release
Caroline Kelly – Tufts – Sr. – Midfield – Southborough, Mass.
Kelly helped Tufts remain undefeated, as the Jumbos went 3-0 last week. Kelly posted the game-winning goal on Tuesday in a 2-1 win over Gordon and added an assist on the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Hamilton College. On Sunday, the senior converted a penalty kick in a 4-0 win over Connecticut College. Kelly leads the team with 11 points and the NESCAC with seven assists.
NESCAC Volleyball Player of the Week | Weekly Release
Elliana Moreno – Wesleyan - Jr. – DS – Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Moreno led an inspired effort on defense this past weekend, leading Wesleyan to a pair of NESCAC wins over Colby and Bowdoin with an average of 5.29 digs per set for the weekend. Against the Mules, Moreno had 18 digs and a career-high 13 assists, helping lead a team effort that saw the Cardinals pile up a season-high 97 digs in a thrilling four-set win over previously unbeaten Colby. The junior followed up with 19 digs in a sweep of Bowdoin, averaging 6.33 digs per set for the match. Moreno extended her NESCAC-leading digs per set average to 4.72 through eight matches this season.
