CORTLAND, N.Y. – The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) winter weekly awards for ice hockey and basketball have been announced. Five athletes were honored for their performances during the week of December 5-11.
Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – John Decker, Geneseo
(Sr., G – Lincolndale, N.Y., 11)
Decker averaged 27.7 points and shot 56.7% from 3-point range in a three-game week for the Knights that included a pair of SUNYAC road wins. He started by tying a 10-year old school record by hitting nine three-pointers en route to 38 points in an 82-80 setback at No. 11 Rochester on Tuesday. He then followed up a 16-point effort in a 86-71 victory at Plattsburgh on Friday with a 29-point, six-assist showing in a 88-78 win at Potsdam on Saturday. Decker currently ranks third nationally with 30.1 points per game and second with 5.14 three-pointers made per game.
Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Alexis Cheatham, Fredonia
(Sr, Guard – Lockport, N.Y.)
Cheatham, a senior from Lockport, N.Y., was instrumental in two SUNYAC road wins as Fredonia improved to 4-0 in the conference, 8-1 overall. She had 18 points and eight assists vs. Oswego, and followed that with 22 points, two assists, and two steals vs. Cortland. Eight of her 22 points came in the fourth quarter as the Blue Devils erased a 12-point deficit en route to a 72-70 win. She connected on two three-pointers in the quarter, including the 200th of her college career with 1:27 remaining as part of a 10-0 Fredonia run in the final two minutes. Her steal in the final minute began a Fredonia possession resulting in two game-winning free throws by a teammate.
Ice Hockey Athlete of the Week – Mike Crowley, Cortland
(So, Forward)
Crowley recorded a six-point weekend as the Red Dragons (6-5-1, 4-3 SUNYAC) swept a pair of road conference games. In a 3-0 win at #10/#11 Buffalo St. on Friday, Crowley assisted on the game-winning goal at the 4:52 mark of the third period, then added a second assist on an insurance empty-net goal with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. In an 8-4 victory at Fredonia, Crowley registered two goals and two assists, scoring the game-winning goal on the power play with four seconds remaining in the second period. Crowley leads the Red Dragons with 14 points on three goals and a team-best 11 assists.
Ice Hockey Goalie of the Week – Matt Schneider, Brockport
(Fr, Goalie)
Schneider was a force in net during Brockport’s 2-0 weekend, making 64 saves while allowing just two goals for a save percentage of .970. In Saturday’s contest against Plattsburgh, the rookie goaltender made history, as his 36 saves helped the Golden Eagles shut out the Cardinals for the first time in program history. The shutout was also the first of Schneider’s young career, as he now sits at 3-1-0 on the season.
Ice Hockey Rookie of the Week – Conlan Keenan, Geneseo
(Fy., Forward – Penfield, N.Y.)
Keenan notched his Division III-leading seventh power-play goal of the season to go along with an assist in Geneseo’s 5-4 victory at Plattsburgh on Friday, before tipping home the game-winning goal with less than two minutes left in regulation after also tallying an assist in Saturday’s 3-2 win at Potsdam.
