ALFRED, NY – Martin Flanders Jr (Schuylerville, NY/Schuylerville) of the Alfred University football team was named the Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.
 
Flanders delivered a dominant defensive performance in Alfred University's 31-7 victory over St. Lawrence University on Saturday. Flanders filled the box score, accumulating six total tackles (four solo, two assisted), 4.5 tackles for loss for 22 yards, 2.5 sacks for 13 yards, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a game-high seven quarterback hurries. In the opening quarter, Flanders executed a strip-sack and recovered his own forced fumble at the St. Lawrence 25-yard line, directly setting up an Alfred University touchdown. Later in the game, Flanders combined with teammate Micheal Davis (Canton, PA/Canton) for a key sack that pushed the Saints' offense back, ultimately forcing a missed field goal and preserving AU's decisive lead.
 
Flanders was joined in the Empire 8 Weekly Honors by Becca Epping (Mitchell, IN/Bedford North Lawrence) as the Women's Tennis Player of the Week and Derek Alexei Rodriguez (Panama Oeste, Panama/Colegio San Gabriel de le Delarosa) as the Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week. Flanders was also named a Saxon of the Week alongside Epping and Ayomideji Israel-Akinbo (Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa/St. Andrews College).