Southern New Hampshire University Athletics
Week at a Glance (February 20-26, 2023)

Female Athlete of the Week: Jess Knight - Women's Basketball - Jr., F
Jess Knight (Hanover, Mass.) posted 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game, while hitting 48.0 percent (12-25) of her shots from the floor, as the Penmen went 2-0 and advanced to the NE10 Championship semifinals for the first time. Knight recorded a double-double of 17 points (8-13 FG, 1-4 FT) and 12 rebounds, adding two assists and two blocks, in Tuesday's 56-39 win over Saint Michael's College, before recording 14 points (4-12 FG, 6-8 FT) and six boards in the 69-55 quarterfinal win against the College of Saint Rose on Sunday.

Male Athlete of the Week: Mike LaRocca - Baseball - Jr., 1B
Mike LaRocca (Vero Beach, Fla.) went 7-for-21 (.333) with three home runs, 13 RBI and five runs scored, while slugging .762 en route to an 1.126 OPS, as the Penmen went 4-1 during their trip to Myrtle Beach. LaRocca was 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk in Friday's 10-2 victory over Queens (N.Y.) College. His most clutch performance came in Sunday's 8-4, come-from-behind win against St. Thomas Aquinas College in which he was 2-for-5 with a home run, five RBI and a run scored, as he tied the game with a two-run single in the seventh and then swatted a three-run homer in the ninth to help seal the victory.

Women's Basketball (20-6, 15-5 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
2/21 vs. Saint Michael's - W, 56-39
2/26 vs. Saint Rose - W, 69-55 (NE10 Championship quarterfinal)
This Week's Games:
3/2 at Assumption - 7 p.m. (NE10 Championship semifinal)
If win...
3/5 vs. Bentley/Pace - 1:30 p.m. (NE10 Championship final)

Notes:
- Women's basketball took care of Saint Michael's College, 56-39, in the regular-season finale to earn the No. 3 seed, a first-round bye and a quarterfinal home game in the NE10 Championship. The Penmen then took down the 11th-seeded College of Saint Rose in the quarterfinals, 69-55, Sunday to punch their first ever ticket to the semifinals.
- Junior Jess Knight (Hanover, Mass.) posted 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 blocks per game, while hitting 48.0 percent (12-25) of her shots from the floor. She recorded a double-double of 17 points (8-13 FG, 1-4 FT) and 12 rebounds, adding two assists and two blocks, against Saint Michael's, before recording 14 points (4-12 FG, 6-8 FT) and six boards in the quarterfinal win.
- Senior Ariana Koivisto (Pomfret, Conn.) was huge in the win over Saint Rose, scoring a career-high 24 points (7-11 FG, 3-6 3-FG, 7-8 FT) to go with four rebounds, three steals, two assists and a blocks.

Men's Basketball (20-7, 16-4 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
2/21 vs. Saint Michael's - W, 76-61
2/26 vs. Franklin Pierce - W, 58-51 (NE10 Championship quarterfinal)
This Week's Games:
3/1 vs. New Haven - 7 p.m. (NE10 Championship semifinal)
If win...
3/4 vs. Saint Anselm/Bentley - 1:30 p.m. (NE10 Championship final)

Notes:
- Men's basketball captured its first NE10 Regular-Season Championship since 2017 with a 76-61 victory against Saint Michael's College on Tuesday. The top-seeded Penmen then battled by eighth-seeded Franklin Pierce University, 58-51, in the quarterfinals Sunday to reach their ninth semifinal and first since '17.
- Sophomore Evan Guillory (Springfield, Mo.) averaged 22.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block per contest, while hitting 50 percent (20-40) of his shots and 80 percent (4-5) of his free throws. Guillory poured in a career-high 30 points (13-23 FG, 4-5 FT) Tuesday, while adding three rebounds and two steals. He gathered a double-double of 14 points (7-17 FG), a career-high-tying 12 rebounds and two blocks in the postseason victory.
- Junior Matt Becht (Vienna, Va.) recorded 16.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game, while shooting 45.5 percent (10-22) from the field and 81.8 percent (9-11) from the stripe. Becht netted 12 points (3-8 FG, 1-6 3-FG, 5-6 FT), grabbed three rebounds and dished a pair of assists against the Purple Knights and then scored a game-high 21 points (7-14 FG, 3-8 3-FG, 4-5 FT) and collected five rebounds versus the Ravens.

Men's Ice Hockey (10-17, 9-11 NE10)

Last Week's Results
2/21 vs. Franklin Pierce - L, 1-3 (NE10 Championship first round)
This Week's Games:
Idle

Notes:
- Fourth-seeded men's ice hockey had its season ended Tuesday with a 3-1 loss to fifth-seeded Franklin Pierce University in the NE10 Championship first round.
- Senior George Thurston (Plymouth, Mass.) scored the lone goal of the night for SNHU.
- Freshman Ryan Pomposelli (Needham, Mass.) and sophomore Ethan Rodriguez (Sioux City, Iowa) assisted on the tally.
- Graduate student Adam Mercer (Belchertown, Mass.) made 22 saves.

Women's Track & Field

Last Week's Results:
Idle
This Week's Games:
idle

Notes:
- Women's track & field was idle last week and is now off until the NCAA Indoor Championships on March 10-11 in Virginia Beach, Va.

Softball (3-2, 0-0 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
Idle
This Week's Games:
Idle

Notes:
- Softball was idle last week and is off until March 11 when they travel to Georgian Court University for a doubleheader.

Baseball (7-1, 0-0 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
2/23 vs. Felician - L, 7-9
2/24 vs. Queens (N.Y.) - W, 10-2
2/25 vs. Mercy - W, 12-8
2/25 vs. Mercy - W, 13-0 (7 inn.)
2/26 vs. St. Thomas Aquinas - W, 8-4
This Week's Games:
3/5 at East Stroudsburg - TBA
3/5 at East Stroudsburg - TBA

Notes:
- Baseball, ranked sixth in the Collegiate Baseball Pre-Season NCAA Division II Poll and ninth in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA) NCAA Division II Top 25, went 4-1 on its Myrtle Beach trip. The Penmen dropped the opener to Felician University, 9-7, Thursday, before bouncing back with a 10-2 win over Queens (N.Y.) College on Friday and then swept a doubleheader from Mercy College on Saturday with wins of 12-8 and a 13-0 in seven innings. They wrapped the trip by rallying past St. Thomas Aquinas College, 8-4, Sunday.
- Junior Mike LaRocca (Vero Beach, Fla.) went 7-for-21 (.333) with three home runs, 13 RBI and five runs scored, while slugging .762 en route to an 1.126 OPS. LaRocca was 2-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, two runs scored and a walk against Queens (N.Y.). His most clutch performance came in the come-from-behind win against St. Thomas Aquinas in which he was 2-for-5 with a home run, five RBI and a run scored, as he tied the game with a two-run single in the seventh and then swatted a three-run homer in the ninth to help seal the victory.
- Junior George Welch (Derry, N.H.) fired a one-hit, complete-game shutout in the 13-0, game-two victory over Mercy. Welch, who was named the NE10 Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week earlier Monday, struck out a career-high 12 batters and walked just two over seven innings.
- Junior Danniel Rivera (New Britain, Conn.) went 9-for-19 with a slash line of .474/.542/.632, as he drove in four runs, scored 10 times, drew four walks and was 3-for-4 stealing bases. Rivera, who drove in a run in all four wins, was 3-for-3 with an RBI, two runs and a pair of walks against Queens. He was also 3-for-5 with an RBI and three runs scored against the Spartans.
- Junior Nick Schwartz (Massapequa, N.Y.) slashed .438/.571/.688, going 7-for-16 with a home run, seven RBI, three runs scored and four walks. He was 2-for-4 with a home ru. three RBI and a run scored against the Knights, wrapping the trip against St. Thomas Aquinas by going 3-for-3 with an RBI.
- Junior Cristian Mercedes (Providence, R.I.) was 7-for-18 (.389) with five RBI, eight runs scored and a pair of walks, as he was on base at a .500 clip and went 3-for-4 swiping bags. In the game one victory against Mercy, Mercedes was 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored.
- Junior Brandon White (Simsbury, Conn.) tossed 7.0 innings, giving up just two runs – one earned – on six hits in the Queens triumph.
- Senior Jeffrey Praml (W. Bridgewater, N.J.) improved to 2-0 on the year, as he allowed three runs on three hits in 7.0 innings of the game one Mercy win.
- Junior Trevor Anibal (Bedford, N.H.) collected the win in the finale, securing the victory against STAC with 4.0 innings of scoreless relief, relinquishing just three hits, while striking out five.

Women's Lacrosse (1-0, 0-0 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
2/21 vs. Post - W, 19-3
This Week's Games:
3/4 vs. St. Thomas Aquinas - 11 a.m.

Notes:
- Women's lacrosse opened the season Tuesday with a 19-3 victory against Post University.
- Junior Shelby Cole (Gilford, N.H.) scored four goals and added four assists for eight points.
- Senior Skylar Renaud (E. Waterboro, Me.) scored five goals and won four draw controls.
- Senior Angelina Graziano (Riverhead, N.Y.) also registered five points with two goals and three assists.
- Junior Megan Petko (Monroe, N.Y.) made seven saves to earn the win in her first career start in goal. 

Men's Lacrosse (0-0, 0-0 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
2/25 vs. Bridgeport - PPD
This Week's Games:
3/4 at Molloy - 12 p.m.

Notes:
- Men's Lacrosse ended up having its opener against the University of Bridgeport on Saturday postponed due to the weather and will now open the season this coming Saturday (12 p.m.) at Molloy.

Women's Tennis (12-0, 9-0 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
Idle
This Week's Matches:
Idle

Notes:
- Women's tennis is off until the spring.

Men's Tennis (4-1, 0-0 NE10)

Last Week's Results:
2/25 vs. Colgate - W, 6-1
This Week's Matches:
Idle

Notes:
- Men's tennis defeated Colgate University, 6-1, Saturday at the YMCA Allard Center of Goffstown.
- Sophomore Jonathan Berling (Moss, Norway) went 2-0 last week, downing Jack Selati, 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) at No. 1 singles, while also combining with graduate student Fernando Torres (Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico) for a 6-2 triumph at No. 1 doubles against Selati and Benit Vlassis.
- Junior Jesse Den Hartog (Amsterdam, Netherlands) clinched the match with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Max Litton at No. 2 singles and also clinched the doubles point with sophomore Cade Nadeau (Quispamsis, New Brunswick), as they beat Litton and Aidan Lee, 6-4, at No. 2.

Men's Golf

Last Week's Results:
Idle
This Week's Events:
2/27 at Spring Bulldog Clash
2/27 at Spring Bulldog Clash

Notes:
- Men's golf opens its spring slate Monday at Barton College's Spring Bulldog Clash, which takes place at Caledonia Golf and Fish Club in Pawleys Island, S.C.

Completed Seasons

Women's Soccer (6-6-5, 3-4-5 NE10)

Notes:
- Women's soccer finished 6-6-5, including 3-4-5 in the NE10, and earned the No. 8 seed for the NE10 Championship. The Penmen traveled to the top-seeded College of Saint Rose for the quarterfinal round and suffered a 3-0 defeat.
- The Penmen did enough, however, to collect their eighth NCAA Championship berth, including fifth straight. SNHU collected the No. 7 seed and traveled to play second-seeded Franklin Pierce University in the opening round of the NCAA East Regional, absorbing a 3-1 loss.
-SNHU began the season 5-0-0 for the second straight campaign and just the third time since 1994.
- Junior Alyssa Anderson (Londonderry, N.H.) and graduate student Ai Inoue (Tokyo, Japan) were selected to the NE10 All-Conference Third Team, while freshman Georgia Greene (Clifton Park, N.Y.) received an All-Rookie Team nod.

Men's Soccer (8-6-4, 5-3-3 NE10)

Field Hockey (8-11, 7-6 NE10)

Women's Volleyball (19-8, 9-3 NE10)

Notes:
- Women's volleyball put together a historic season, finishing 19-8 to set a new program record for wins that surpassed the 1986 squad. The Penmen qualified for the NE10 Championship for just the sixth time, won their first NE10 postseason match, hosted an NE10 postseason match for the first time, received their first NCAA postseason berth, claimed their first NCAA postseason victory, captured their first NCAA East Region title and advanced to the NCAA National Championships in Seattle for the first time, falling to top-seeded and nine-time NCAA National Champion Concordia University, St. Paul in an NCAA Championship quarterfinal match.
- Redshirt-junior Ana Pimenta (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) earned NE10 All-Conference Second Team honors, while graduate student Sara Montefameglio (Turin, Italy) and sophomore Deanne Wilson (Buffalo, N.Y.) were recognized with Third Team nods.

Cross Country

Notes:
- Women's cross country turned its best season in program history, winning its first NE10 Championship and NCAA East Region titles, as part of a four-win campaign out of the seven meets they competed in. The squad made the NCAA National Championship for just the second time (2019) and finished 32nd at Chambers Creek Regional Park in University Place, Wash., while placing first among East Region teams.
- Graduate student Ashley Corcoran (East Longmeadow, Mass.) claimed individual NE10 (21:26.7) and NCAA East Region (21:55.4) crowns, while finishing 88th, and first of the 23 runners from the East Region taking part in the race, at Nationals (21:57.0). Those three runs slot into the program record book as the third-, seventh- and eighth-fastest 6Ks.
- Corcoran was named the USTFCCCA East Region Athlete of the Year, as well as the NE10 Athlete of the Year, while head coach Rich Marcello was tabbed the USTFCCCA East Region Coach and NE10 Coach of the Year. Freshman Corrina Obernesser (Westminster, Colo.) was selected as the NE10 Rookie of the Year.
- Corcoran was joined on the NE10 All-Conference First Team by juniors Kelsey Seamans (Methuen, Mass.) and Hannah Bradbury (Seekonk, Mass.). Junior Kaitlyn O'Rourke (Braintree, Mass.) claimed a spot on the Second Team, with graduate student Rose Pitman (Sherill, N.Y.) and senior Sarah Zarakotas (Deerfield, N.H.) receiving Third Team accolades.
- The men captured one win, but finished in the top five four times this season. They were fourth at the NE10 Championships and fifth at the NCAA East Regionals to narrowly miss out on an NCAA National Championship berth.
- Graduate student Jacob Logan (Norwood, Mass.) placed third at NE10s (25:03.1) and second at the NCAA East Regional (31:41.1) to qualify for Nationals as an individual. He finished in a time of 31:21.10 to place 108th. The mark set a new personal best for Logan by 20 seconds and was just four seconds shy of matching the school record. It stands as the third fastest 10k in school history. Logan was the first of 24 runners representing the East region to finish.
- Logan was chosen as an NE10 All-Conference First Team honoree, while freshman Dillon Labonte (Lee, N.H.) and sophomore Carter Sylvester (Northwood, N.H.) were named to the Second Team.

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