Ten Saints Earn Liberty League Weekly Honors

Mar. 16: The Liberty League announced its weekly award winners on Monday afternoon, and 10 St. Lawrence University student-athletes were amongst those honored. 

Four of the honorees came from the men's and women's track and field programs, which had a fantastic weekend at the 2010 NCAA Indoor Championships.  Junior Wendy Pavlus was named the conference's Track Performer of the Week after winning the national championship in the 5000m run in 16:59.4.  It was the second national title this year for the Tupper Lake, NY native, who also won the 2009 NCAA Cross Country championship.

Senior teammate Alyssa Pirinelli also captured her first national championship in the shot put, thus earning Liberty League Field Performer of the Week honors.  Her throw of 14.63 earned her the title, and the North Tonawanda, NY native was also an All-America in the weight throw.

On the men's side, junior Dan Ramsey and senior Eric Jones also won the Track and Field Performer of the Week awards, respectively.  Ramsey earned All-America honors with a fifth place finish in the Men's 5000m at NCAA's in 14:52.15.  Jones, an All-Conference football player in the fall, became the Saints' first field event national champion since 1989 when he won the weight throw on Friday.  The Watertown, NY native threw 19.13 meters to defeat a field of 14.

Meanwhile, six student-athletes were awarded conference honors for their performances during their teams' spring trips.  In Hilton Head, SC, juniors Tony Wilkey and Stephanie Finn had stand-out weeks to help both the men's and women's tennis teams go undefeated on their trip.  Wilkey won all three of his singles matches and was 2-1 in doubles to earn men's Co-Performer of the Week honors, while Finn won the women's Co-Performer of the Week from the league after finishing 3-0 at the No. 1 singles position and went 2-0 in doubles as well.

On the diamond, both the baseball and softball team picked up weekly conference honors after their trips to Ft. Myers, FL.  Junior Rachel Duffany and first-year student Elizabeth McGinley earned softball's Co-Pitcher and Co-Rookie of the Week awards, respectively.  Duffany finished 4-2 on the mound during the Saints' Florida trip, posting a 1.79 ERA in 43.0 innings.  McGinley, who earned her first collegiate win on the mound for St. Lawrence during the trip as well, hit .391 in the 11-game span and drove in seven runs.

Meanwhile, first-year student Matt D'Auteuil was named the Liberty League's Co-Rookie of the Week for baseball, helping the Saints to a 5-2 record in Ft. Myers.  The Worcester, MA hit .385, scoring twice and driving in two runs.

Finally, the men's and women's lacrosse teams each had a first-year student earn Co-Rookie of the Week honors from the conference.  Mac Johnson had a solid week in California for the men's squad, as he scored his first collegiate goal in double overtime to give St. Lawrence a 7-6 victory over Whittier College.  The Stratham, NH native then followed with two goals against Drew University.

On the women's side, Brigid Hurley made her presence felt in her opening collegiate game, as the Penfield, NY native scored four goals in the final five minutes to rally the Saints past Bridgewater State, 16-15.  Hurley finished the three-game trip to West Palm Beach, FL with eight goals on 10 shots.

It will be a busy week in Saints Athletics, starting on Thursday, March 18 when senior Chris Woolston competes in the 2010 NCAA Swimming Championships for the Scarlet and Brown through the weekend.  The men's hockey team will head to the Times Union Center in Albany, NY to face Union College in the ECAC Hockey Tournament semifinals on Friday at 7:00pm.  The remaining action happens on campus, as the men's and women's tennis teams host Rensselaer and RIT on Saturday and Sunday, while the women's lacrosse team hosts its 2010 home opener on Saturday at 2:00pm against Elmira College.  Finally, the riding team hosts the Hunt Seat Regionals on Saturday morning in search of a bid to the zone championships.