Posted: Sep 23, 2025

Schuylkill Women's Soccer Players, Hazleton Volleyball Highlight Players of the Week

See who performed at their best this past week with our Players of the Week! Here are your Players of the Week for the week ending Sunday, September 21, 2025.

All individual award winner's announcement can also be found on their respective sport pages and in Player of the Week archives.

PSUAC Players of the Week are nominated by their individual campus and selected by the conference office from a list of nominees. Click on the award winners name for their full POTW profile!

Follow the PSUAC on X (Twitter), Threads and Instagram @PSUAC for updates and information!

Team of the Week 3

Penn State Shenango Women’s Volleyball

Penn State Shenango moved to 3-0 in conference play following a five-set win. The team picked up two conference victories this week, including a decision over the defending regular season champion in the West, Penn State Fayette. Shenango’s next game is Sept. 24 against Penn State Beaver.

Women’s Volleyball Player of the Week 3

Claire Riera-Gomez, Penn State Hazleton

Second Year

Miami, Fl.

Outside hitter Claire Riera-Gomez put up a total of 51 kills and 50 digs in Penn State Hazleton’s three matches. She had a career high with 21 kills against Penn State Mont Alto. Riera-Gomez has dominated so far in her second-year season where she managed to put up double-digits in kills and digs throughout all matches.

	m	s	k	k/s	e	ta	pct	a	a/s	sta	sa	se	sa/s	r	re	rpt	digs	d/s	bs	ba	tot	b/s	pts	pts/s
Overall	3	11	51	4.64	11	144	.278	2	0.18	41	10	11	0.91	26	4	.846	50	4.55	0	1	1	0.09	61.5	5.6

Women’s Volleyball Specialist of the Week 3

Sophia Del Vacchio, Penn State Hazleton

Third Year

Gainesville, Va.

Sophia Del Vacchio tallied 115 total assists over her last three matches, two of which came against PSUAC opponents, and all three of which were victories for Penn State Hazleton. Del Vacchio averaged 10.25 assists per set over the week, increasing her average to 9.00 assists per set, which leads the PSUAC.

	m	s	k	k/s	e	ta	pct	a	a/s	sta	sa	se	sa/s	r	re	rpt	digs	d/s	bs	ba	tot	b/s	pts	pts/s
Overall	3	11	9	0.82	6	45	.067	115	10.45	32	1	2	0.09	1	0	1.000	21	1.91	1	0	1	0.09	11.0	1.0

Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week 3

Andi Householder, Penn State New Kensington

Second Year

Burrell, Pa.

In Penn State New Kensington's two games this past week, defender Andi Householder tallied two goals in each game. In the team's big non-conference win over Thiel College, Householder hit the back of the net from 20 yards out in both goals.

Game	gp	gs	gpg	a/g	pts/g	sh/g	sh%	sog/g	sog%
Overall	2	2	2.00	.00	4.00	2.00	1.000	2.00	1.000

Season	gp	gs	g	a	pts	sh	sh%	sog	sog%	yc	rc	pk	gw
Overall	2	2	4	0	8	4	1.000	4	1.000	1	0	0-0	1

Women’s Soccer Player of the Week 3

Nia Bronson, Penn State Schuylkill

Fifth Year

Pine Grove, Pa.

Nia Bronson has been a key presence on both ends of the field, contributing strong play in the midfield while also tallying 10 goals and two assists through the opening six games. Her leadership and consistency have helped guide the Nittany Lions to several decisive wins, including back-to-back conference victories this past week in which she scored four times and assisted once.

Game	gp	gs	gpg	a/g	pts/g	sh/g	sh%	sog/g	sog%
Overall	2	2	2.00	.50	4.50	4.50	.444	4.00	.889

Season	gp	gs	g	a	pts	sh	sh%	sog	sog%	yc	rc	pk	gw
Overall	2	2	4	1	9	9	.444	8	.889	0	0	0-0	2

Men’s Soccer Player of the Week 3

Jayson Ireland, Penn State New Kensington

Second Year

Burrell, Pa.

Jayson Ireland’s week featured an incredible four goal and one assist performance against Penn State Schuylkill in a 7-1 victory. For the week, Ireland tallied 10 shots, five being on target. His four goals tied for the most in a single game this season. Ireland tops the PSUAC leaderboard in goals (eight), points (17) and shots (28).

Game	gp	gs	gpg	a/g	pts/g	sh/g	sh%	sog/g	sog%
Overall	3	3	1.33	.33	3.00	3.33	.400	1.67	.500

Season	gp	gs	g	a	pts	sh	sh%	sog	sog%	yc	rc	pk	gw
Overall	3	3	4	1	9	10	.400	5	.500	0	0	0-0	0

Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week 3

Kevin Gagner, Penn State Lehigh Valley

Third Year

Nazareth, Pa.

The goalkeeper making his second and third starts this season made a critical save against Penn State Scranton, securing a 2-2 draw, followed up by a nine-save performance, leading his team to a 2-0 shutout win against Penn State Greater Allegheny. Gagner made a combined 11 saves across the two games leading his team to an undefeated week.

Game	gp	gs	gpg	a/g	pts/g	sh/g	sh%	sog/g	sog%
Overall	3	3	.00	.00	.00	.00	-	.00	-

Season	gp	gs	g	a	pts	sh	sh%	sog	sog%	yc	rc	pk	gw
Overall	3	3	0	0	0	0	-	0	-	0	0	0-0	0

Women's Runner of the Week 3

Faith Sullivan, Penn State Shenango

Second Year

North Jackson, Ohio

Faith Sullivan finished 25th out of 158 at the Allegheny College Invitational on Saturday. She clocked a 25:57 for the 6k time. Sullivan competed in a field of nearly all NCAA-Division II and III runners.

Men's Runner of the Week 3

Matthew O, Penn State Schuylkill

Fourth Year

Schuylkill Haven, Pa.

Matthew O recorded his personal record for the season at the Osprey Open at Stockton College. His time was 31.15 with a 6.17-mile pace in the 8k.

Golfer of the Week 3

Ben Irr, Penn State Mont Alto

Third Year

Greencastle, Pa.

Ben Irr picked up a win in his team's home event at Penn National Golf Club last week, capturing the title in a three-person playoff. The tie occurred at two-over par 74, with Irr outlasting his two opponents in extra holes.

Rookie of the Week 3

Leah Alexander, Penn State Schuylkill

First Year

Lewistown, Pa.

Leah Alexander has totaled eight points in three games for Penn State Schuylkill’s women’s soccer team, including two goals against Penn State Scranton on Sept. 18. The pre allied health major leads the team in assists with five and is second in points with 13.