ALFRED, NY -- First-year guard, Mike Schmidt (Olean, NY/Olean) of the Alfred University men's basketball team was named the Empire 8 Men's Basketball Rookie of the Week on Monday afternoon as made official in an announcement from Associate Commissioner, Joe Venniro.

Schmidt helped the Saxons pick up a road, season-opening win at Westfield State on Saturday as he played 35 minutes and led the first-years with 10 points in his first collegiate start. He tacked on three defensive rebounds and three assists while stealing the ball once. Out of his 10 points, five were from the charity stripe as he was 5-for-6 on free throws.

Schmidt was joined on the Empire 8 list by teammate Brewster Marshall (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) as the pair swept the first weekly basketball awards with Marshall being named the Player of the Week.

Schmidt and the Saxons will next co-host the Alfred Special Tees Tip-Off Classic alongside Alfred State College. On Friday, November 15, the Saxons will compete at the Alfred State Orvis Center against SUNY Cobleskill at 5 p.m. before hosting Clarkson University in the Terry S. Galanis Family Arena on Saturday, November 16 at 4 p.m. to close out the classic.