General | 2/23/2026 2:00:00 PM
PITTSFORD, N.Y. – The Empire 8 Conference, United Collegiate Hockey Conference (UCHC) and United Volleyball Conference (UVC) announced their weekly honors on Monday afternoon. Seven St. John Fisher University student-athletes garnered recognition.
Robert Leach (Junior Baseball) – Empire 8 Pitcher of the Week
Leach earned credit for the win with four strong innings of relief on Saturday as St. John Fisher topped No. 11 Johns Hopkins 9-6 in Baltimore. Leach took over in the third and settled the game, tossing four effective innings without allowing a hit and keeping the Blue Jays off balance. He allowed just one unearned run while striking out three batters.
Cecelia Stewart (Freshman, Women's Ice Hockey) – Empire 8 Player of the Week/UCHC Player of the Week
Stewart finished plus-five and tallied four total points on three goals and an assist as St. John Fisher dominated Hilbert twice over the weekend. Stewart found the back of the net two times and had an assist in an 8-0 win on Friday and netted her third goal of the weekend in a 9-1 win on Saturday.
This marks the first time Stewart has earned weekly honors in her collegiate career.
Jake Vernieri (Freshman, Men's Lacrosse) – Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Vernieri, a first-time E8 weekly award winner, caused two turnovers and picked up a pair of ground balls in an 18-12 victory over Ithaca College on Saturday.
Leah Hilton (Senior, Women's Lacrosse) – Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Hilton caused a career-high five turnovers, picked up a ground ball and scored her first collegiate goal in the Cardinals' season-opener against the University of Rochester on Saturday. Her five caused turnovers are tied for eighth on Fisher's single-game record book.
Hayden Penna (Junior, Men's Indoor Track and Field) – Empire 8 Field Athlete of the Week
Penna bested his school record in the pole vault for the fourth time this season on Friday night as the St. John Fisher men's indoor track and field team wrapped up the regular season in the Nazareth Conference Tune Up. He placed second at 5.02 meters, the seventh-best mark in Division III this season. It marked his second record-breaking performance in the last month, as he previously outdid his program-best mark back on Jan. 31 in the Cornell Southern Tier Open.
Penna has earned E8 weekly honors three times this season.
Makenna Keough (Freshman, Women's Indoor Track and Field) – Empire 8 Field Athlete of the Week
Keough had the top result for St. John Fisher's women's indoor track and field team on Friday in the Nazareth Conference Tune-Up, setting a program record in the triple jump with a first-place mark of 11.33 meters. That performance ranks 28th in Division III this season.
This marks the second time that Makenna Keough has earned E8 weekly honors this season.
Avery Kielbasinski (Freshman, Men's Volleyball) – Empire 8 Rookie of the Week/UVC Rookie of the Week
Kielbasinski amassed 41.5 total points over the Cardinals' five matches last week. He slammed 36 kills while hitting .287, tallied five total blocks, including two solo, and aced three serves. He added 13 digs on the defensive side of the net.
Kielbasinski pounded 13 kills while hitting .400 to lead Fisher to a road sweep of East Avenue rival Nazareth on Wednesday night. He had 13 kills, two service aces and a block while amassing 15.5 points in a four-set home win over Misericordia on Friday night.
