ALFRED, NY – Three student-athletes were recognized by the Empire 8 in the weekly volleyball awards as Taylor Malone (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) was named the Co-Player of the Week and Cara Bratthauar (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg) was named the Rookie of the Week on Monday in an official announcement by Associate Commissioner, Joe Venniro.
 
They were joined by Keuka College's Casey Hunziker as the other Co-Player of the Week.
 
Malone picks up her third Saxon of the Week honors of the season as she helped the Saxons pick up their third and fourth 3-0 win in a row. Out of those four matches, three of them were Empire 8 wins as Malone and the Saxons tack on a sweep of Houghton University for the first time in school history (besides the second match of the make-shift 2021 COVID season). It's also the first time since the 2000 season that the Saxons have put together three or more 3-0 victories in a row. Malone was the point-leader in both 3-0 wins this past week, scoring 16.0 against Pitt.-Bradford and 19.5 in the road win at Houghton University. Out of the 16 matches this year, Malone has 14 matches with double-digit scoring and is now on an eight-match streak with the double-figures. Her week began with a double-double, after recording 10 digs to go with her 12 kills and four aces against Pitt.-Bradford. Malone added seven digs to her 18 kills, once ace and one block assist in Empire 8 action against the Highlanders.
 
Bratthauar hit a .469 as she had established a new career-high hitting percentage in a 3-0 win at Houghton University, recording eight kills on 13 attacks with one error, hitting a .538. Her points were the third highest in the conference match and her hitting percentage was a match-high. Bratthauar added two block assists to finish with 9.0 points and added one set assist in the Friday match. Earlier in the week, Bratthauar hit .400 with five kills and one error on 10 attempts for 5.5 points, adding a block assist at University of Pittsburgh at Bradford.
 
Malone was also named a Saxon of the Week along with women's tennis's Elizabeth Madsen (Portland, OR/Grant) as the Empire 8 Player of the Week, following the Saxons' Empire 8 Championship victory and Madsen earning Tournament MVP. Madsen joined Malone and Bratthauar in the weekly awards as the Empire 8 Women's Tennis Player of the Week.