TROY, N.Y. –  Nine Union College student-athletes were recognized for their performances last week, with four Garnet Chargers earning Performer of the Week honors, two named Rookies of the Week, and three more tabbed on the honor roll for the week ending on September 21, the conference office announced on Monday afternoon.

Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week: Maddie Greco
Greco scored a very efficient five goals on seven shots in a pair of Union victories last week, all while playing only 36 total minutes in a pair of lopsided wins. On Wednesday she scored the first two goals of the game in less than seven minutes to put the Garnet Chargers ahead for good, then scored again 83 seconds into the third period to complete the hat trick despite seeing the field for only 16 total minutes. The junior needed less than seven minutes of field time to score twice in the first half on Saturday in a win over William Paterson before spending much of the second half on the sidelines.

Football Offensive Player of the Week: Patch Flanagan
Flanagan accounted for all four Union touchdowns in Saturday's 31-7 victory over SUNY Morrisville, throwing for two scores and running in a pair. The senior finished with game highs of 132 yards through the air and 139 yards on the ground in the win, averaging an impressive 9.9 yards per carry. He ran for Union's first two scores to build up a 14-0 first-half lead, then tossed touchdown passes of 46 yards and 24 yards in the second half to clinch the win.

Women's Golf Player of the Week: Iyene Essien
Essien earned individual medalist honors for the third straight week with a first-place finish at the Union Fall Invitational, carding rounds of 75 and 80 to pick up a three-stroke victory over St. Lawrence's Sadie Cumming. After an eventful day on Saturday that featured three birdies and an eagle as part of her round, the sophomore grinded through Sunday's second day, starting with a birdie on the opening par-five 1st hole and then steadying herself with birdies on the par-five 12th and par-four 13th holes to secure the win. She finished the weekend an impressive four-under-par on the par-fives over the two days - one of only two players under par on the course's longest four holes - and had a weekend-best six birdies overall.

Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week: Anabelle Thomas
Thomas scored three goals and added an assist for seven points in Union's two matches, all coming in the first 11 minutes of the two games. She started the week by scoring the first goal of the game in the fifth minute in Union's close one-goal loss to #13 Middlebury on Wednesday. She then played a role in the team's first three goals in Saturday's 6-0 Senior Day win over SUNY Oneonta, scoring a program-record 29 seconds into the game for the eventual game-winning goal while assisting on a fourth-minute tally and scoring again just 10:38 into the game. The five points are a career-high for the senior.

Field Hockey Rookie of the Week: Katelyn Birnbaum
Birnbaum recorded two goals and two assists for six points in Union's two victories last week. The first-year assisted on a pair of first-half goals in Wednesday's win over Ramapo, then scored a pair of goals in the opening half on Saturday's victory over William Paterson. 

Women's Tennis Rookie of the Week: Megan McCusker
McCusker did not lose a game in Union's 6-1 win over Bard on Wednesday, teaming with Claire Langille for a 6-0 win at second doubles and then posting a 6-0, 6-0 sweep at third singles over Patricia Santos.

Honor Roll Mentions:

Men's Soccer: Jacob Perry
Perry made a career-high 10 saves and limited #6 Williams to one goal during the run of play in a tight 2-0 loss to the Ephs on Tuesday. The senior stopped the first 10 on-target shots he faced - including seven in the first half alone - to keep the game scoreless until the home team broke through in the 66th minute. The Garnet Chargers kept Williams off the scoreboard for the rest of the game until an 89th minute goal from the penalty spot.

Women's Soccer: Rachel Berliner
Berliner made five saves in a shutout victory over SUNY Oneonta on Senior Day on Saturday, making three stops in the first half and two more in the second. The senior has not allowed a goal in 240:06 of action this season and has a personal shutout streak of over 670:00 dating back to the opening game of the 2024 season.

Men's Tennis: Simon Philip
Philip did not lose a game at the top flight in Tuesday's 7-0 win over Bard, teaming with Jesus Sosa for a 6-0 win at first doubles and then winning 12 straight games over Thanasis Kostikas at first singles. The first-year also took fifth in the "B" singles bracket at the Garnet Charger Invitational over the weekend, rebounding from a supertiebreaker loss in the first round to post a pair of consolation-bracket wins.