TROY, N.Y. - Two Union College first-year student-athletes earned Rookie of the Week recognition from the Liberty League while eight more student-athletes were named to the honor roll for the week ending Sunday, November 1.
Men's Cross Country Rookie of the Week: Brody Richardson
Richardson earns his fourth award in six weeks this season after he was the first rookie to cross the finish line at the Liberty League Championships on Saturday, cracking the school's all-time top-10 with a time of 25:11.5 that placed him third out of 115 runners. The finish is the highest ever by a Union men's cross country runner, besting the fifth-place finish of Ryan Russell '25 in 2024, and made him just the second Union men's cross country runner (joining Russell) to earn All-Conference first-team recognition.
Men's Soccer Rookie of the Week: Joseph Carofano
Carofano picks up his second weekly honor this season after helping Union deal #4 St. Lawrence its first loss of the season by scoring once in a 3-0 victory on Saturday. After Union scored from the penalty spot in the 14th minute, Carofano cemented the advantage less than nine minutes later with a beautiful strike from the side of the box for his third goal of the year.
Honor Roll Mentions:
Field Hockey: Amy Vytopilova
Vytopilova scored two goals, including the game-winner, and added an assist in Tuesday's 5-4 victory over Kean. The senior opened the scoring in the fifth minute and added an assist to put the home team back in front at the start of the fourth quarter before netting the final goal of the game with 7:11 left to break a 4-4 tie. The senior played only eight minutes in Union's second game of the week, a dominating 5-0 win over Westfield State.
Football: Luke Sheehan
Sheehan completed 14-of-20 passes for 238 yards and three touchdowns in one half of work in Saturday's 56-7 victory over Hilbert.
Men's Soccer: Kofi Sarfoh and
Dmitri Wild-Arons
Sarfoh and Wild-Arons both helped Union deal #4 St. Lawrence its first loss of the season with a 3-0 victory on Saturday. Sarfoh scored from the penalty spot in the 14th minute for his 10th goal of the season, tying him for tops by a conference player this season, and also also assisted on an insurance goal in the second half as well. At the other end of the field, Wild-Arons made two saves to earn his second shutout of the season.
Women's Soccer: Maya Koster
Koster made four saves to pick up her ninth shutout of the season and eighth against Liberty League opponents in a scoreless draw with St. Lawrence on Saturday. Her nine shutouts this year lead the Liberty League and are the most by a Union goalie in a season since 2004.
Men's Swimming & Diving: Troy Luley
Luley was the high-point performer of the meet with three wins and second-place finish as Union fell to Skidmore on the road on Saturday 153-136. Luley put up a pair of season-best times in the 200 individual medley (2:01.76) and the 200 breaststroke (2:13.07), winning both events. He also championed the 100 breast, touching the wall in 1:00.87. The New Hartford, N.Y., native helped propel his team to a second-place finish in the 200 medley relay, completing his breaststroke leg in 27.12.
Women's Swimming & Diving: Chloe Matthews
Matthews put up her best times so far of the young season for Union at Skidmore on Saturday, notching three season-best times and a lifetime-best in the 200 freestyle. She finished top-two in all four of her events, highlighted by a win in the 100 butterfly with a season-best 1:01.94 (and a season-best 50 fly split of 29.09). Matthews placed second in both the 200 free (2:01.32) and the 100 free (55.57), then anchored Union's second-place 200 free relay that finished with a time of 1:48.55.
Women's Volleyball: Kayla Martinez Cartagena
Martinez Cartagena averaged 3.17 kills per set as Union went 1-2 last week. She had back-to-back double-digit kill performances to start the week in conference play, putting down 15 winners against Vassar and 14 more in three sets against St. Lawrence. She had a double-double with 12 digs against the Brewers and hit .355 against the Saints as Union clinched the fourth seed in the upcoming Liberty League Tournament. Her .355 attack percentage in the win over St. Lawrence was her best mark since Oct. 7 and her second-highest performance of the season.
