PSAC Athletes of the Week - 1/20 Monday, January 20, 2020 2:30 PM WOMEN'S INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Stefanie Parsons Edinboro (Jr. / Mid-Distance) Acton, Ontario / Christ the King Parsons came in second in the 800-meter run at the YSU Collegiate Invitational with a time of 2:13.69. It was an NCAA B time and top time in PSAC this year. A total of 76 in field, with most of top 25 D1 runners. WOMEN'S INDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Me'Saj Closs East Stroudsburg (Sr. / Throws) Franklin Township, N.J. / Franklin Closs won both events she competed in on Saturday at the Moravian Invitational, taking first place in the weight throw and shot put. The senior posted a new PR of 54-11 ¼ in the weight throw, and added a season-best toss of 41-1 in the shot put. Closs previously qualified for PSACs in both events earlier this season. MEN'S INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Dominic Frisina Seton Hill (Sr. / Sprints) Erie, Pa. / Erie Cathedral Prep Frisina led the Griffins at the Youngstown State Collegiate Invitational this past weekend. He finished second overall in the 400 with a time of 48.83. It was a new PSAC qualifying mark and is the fastest time in the 400 in the PSAC this season. The time is nearly a second better than the second fastest time. MEN'S INDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Ralph Casper West Chester (Jr. / Throws) York, Pa. / York Suburban Casper earned first place in the shot put with a mark of 17.26-meters. He also earned first place in the weight throw with a 17.88-meter mark, breaking his career-best of 17.67-meters. Casper, who already earned provisional-qualifying status in the shot put, earned NCAA Division II provisional-qualifying status with his performance in both the shot put and weight throw. WOMEN'S SWIMMER OF THE WEEK Ann Carozza West Chester (So. / Sprints/Freestyle/Butterfly) West Chester, Pa. / West Chester East Carozza was on both the 200-meter relay and 400 freestyle relay teams that placed first for the Golden Rams this weekend. She also placed first in the 200-meter butterfly with a time of 2:06.08, and the 100-meter butterfly with a finals time of 56.39. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EASTERN DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Ariel Jones Shippensburg (Jr. / G) Lebanon, Pa. / Cedar Crest Jones averaged 19.5 PPG, shooting 13-of-15 (87 percent) at the FT line, to go along with 4.0 APG and 3.5 RPG in a 2-0 week for the Raiders. On Sunday in a road win at West third-place Seton Hill, Jones scored 22 points, recorded a season-high six assists, equaled a career high with three blocks, grabbed four rebounds and had two steals. Jones was 8-of-8 from the free-throw line and broke Lauren Beckley's school record (532) for career free throws in the process. She is now 539-of-666 (80.9 percent) for her career at the free-throw line, and ranks third in PSAC history for career made free throws. On Wednesday in a road win over Bloomsburg, Jones scored 17 points, shooting 5-of-10 from the field including 2-of-5 from three-point range. She had three rebounds and two assists. Jones was 5-of-7 at the free-throw line. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL EASTERN DIVISION DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Kryshell Gordy Shippensburg (Jr. / F) Chester, Pa. / Ursuline Academy Gordy was integral to the Raider cause this week, totaling 23 defensive rebounds, five steals, two blocks and was +14 and committed just two fouls in a 2-0 week for the Raiders. On Sunday, Gordy posted her first double-double of the season and the 10th of her career with 16 points and 16 rebounds. She grabbed 12 defensive rebounds, blocked two shots, had one steal and was +3 against the Griffins. On Wednesday, Gordy grabbed 11 defensive rebounds against Bloomsburg and had four steals, just one short of a career high. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WESTERN DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Gabrielle Smith Pitt-Johnstown (Sr. / G/F) Darlington, Pa. / Quigley Catholic Smith averaged 24 points, 5.5 rebs., 1 asst. 1 blk, 1.5 steals in two Pitt-Johnstown wins. The senior scored a game-high 28 points (8-14 FG, 12-13 FT), 5 rebounds, 2 blk, 3 steals and an assist in 76-69 win over Mercyhurst on Wednesday. Smith dropped a game-high 20 points (10-11 FT), 6 rebounds and an assist in 77-67 win over Slippery Rock on Saturday. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WESTERN DIVISION CO-DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Tori Obenrader Gannon (So. / F) Fryburg, Pa. / North Clarion Obenrader recorded back-to-back double-doubles in two straight wins for Gannon this week. These marked the third and fourth double-doubles of the season and sixth and seventh of her career. She notched 18 defensive rebounds and a blocked shot in a pair of wins. WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WESTERN DIVISION CO-DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Justina Mascaro IUP (Jr. / G) Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bethel Park Mascaro played a huge part defensively for the 8th-ranked Crimson Hawks as they won big back-to-back games over Edinboro and Cal U last week. Mascaro blocked six shots from her guard spot, including the game-clinching swat on a 3-pointer at the buzzer in the 66-63 win at Edinboro. She finished with a career-high four blocks against the Fighting Scots, with two coming in the final two minutes on Michaela Barnes Mascaro was charged with guarding Edinboro and Cal U's top offensive players last week - Edinboro's Barnes went just 6-23 from the floor while Cal U's Bianca Jasper and Shauna Harrison combined for 13 points and 5-14 shooting with five turnovers. WRESTLER OF THE WEEK Alex Farenchak Gannon (Fr.) Painesville, Ohio / Riverside Farenchak kept the momentum rolling as Gannon stormed back from a 14-point deficit against Seton Hill Saturday afternoon, turning in a 12-4 major decision over Sean Hoover, who entered the day ranked fourth in Super Region 1. Farenchak notched four takedowns and forced two stalling points out of Hoover on his way to the win. MEN'S BASKETBALL EASTERN DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Christian Kelly Lock Haven (Sr. / G) Phoenixville, Pa. / Phoenixville Kelly had a huge week in the Bald Eagles two wins. On Wednesday, the senior dropped 27 points on 10-16 from the field as the Haven upset No. 12 West Chester. Kelly turned the momentum of the game late in the second half knocking home two clutch three pointers to push the Haven to a victory. Kelly also blocked three shots and grabbed nine boards. In Friday's win over Bloomsburg, Kelly was on fire again pouring in another 27 points. He filled up the stat sheet grabbing a team high nine rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Kelly made a living at the free throw line and helped ice the game with clutch free throws going a nearly perfect 14-15 from the stripe. MEN'S BASKETBALL EASTERN DIVISION DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Josh Townsend Kutztown (Sr. / F) Philadelphia, Pa. / Imhotep Charter Townsend produced a monster line against West Chester, Saturday, to help the Golden Bears knock off the 12th-ranked Golden Rams, 92-78, on the road. The Philadelphian secured a season-high 16 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end, and scored 11 points for his fifth double-double of the season. He also blocked two shots. Townsend grabbed four rebounds (all defensive) in a 77-63 win over Mansfield earlier in the week, but was limited to just eight minutes. MEN'S BASKETBALL WESTERN DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Cameron Gross Mercyhurst (Jr. / F) Chicago, Ill. / Oak Park River Forest Gross was strong this week helping the Lakers to a 2-0 record with wins over nationally receiving votes Pitt-Johnstown and crosstown rival Gannon on Saturday. For the two games, Gross totaled 42 points 12 rebounds, three assists and three steals. His 26 points against Pitt-Johnstown was a season-high and for the year he is now posting 11 ppg and five boards. MEN'S BASKETBALL WESTERN DIVISION DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Zyan Collins Cal U (So. / G) South Riding, Va. / Freedom Collins averaged 7.5 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game, as the Vulcans posted a 1-1 record in PSAC West play. The Virginia native totaled nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals, while also recording 17 points and six assists in 40 minutes in an 88-74 victory at Seton Hill on Wednesday. Collins then registered six rebounds, three steals and one block and added 13 points in 32 minutes at No. 7 IUP on Saturday.