WALTHAM, Mass. – A season-high five Brandeis University student-athletes have earned University Athletic Association Athlete of the Week honors.
Topping the list is junior Emily Bryson of Quincy, Massachusetts. Bryson ran the fastest time in Division III indoor track and field this season in the mile run. Her mark of 4:51.36 lowered her own school record by 0.82 seconds. She finished first in her heat and eighth overall against Division I, II and non-collegiate runners at Boston University's Terrier Classic on Jan. 25. This is her 11th career weekly Athlete of the Week honor from the UAA and third of 2017-18.
Graduate student Irie Gourde of Portland, Oregon, was honored in men's track and field, for his performance in the 400-meter dash at BU on Saturday. His time of 48.49 seconds was 10th overall at BU on Saturday, tops among Division III runners and sixth among collegiate competitors from across all NCAA divisions. Gourde's time is the fastest in Division III this season, but is ranked fourth, with the three ahead of him adjusted for running on flat tracks as opposed to BU's banked surface. This is his second career UAA Athlete of the Week honor.
Senior Eli Litle of Haifa, Israel and sophomore Ian Quin of Ramsey, New Jersey, were rewarded for their performances in men's fencing. The duo went a combined 14-3 at the second Northeast Fencing Conference (NFC) meet of the season at Boston College on Sunday, January 28. Litle (7-1) and Quin (7-2) helped the men's foil squad to a perfect 6-0 record at the meet and a 10-0 overall record in the NFC, securing the Judges' second-straight NFC men's title. In the two closest matches of the meet, against second-place Boston College and fourth-place Brown, Brandeis picked up narrow 15-12 wins, with Quin going 3-0 against the Bruins and Litle 3-0 against the Eagles. This is the fourth career UAA Athlete of the Week honor for Litle and the third for Quin.
Senior Liz Feller of Cortlandt Manor, New York, was recognized for women's fencing at the Northeast Fencing Conference meet at Boston College on Sunday. She posted a 13-2 overall record across two weapons. In the first four rounds, Feller fenced epee, her natural weapon, and posted an 8-1 record, including a 3-0 against Brown and 2-1 against Boston College, the NFC women's co-champions. In Brandeis's final two rounds, Feller helped a short-handed saber squad and went 5-1 in matches against Tufts and the club team from the University of Florida. Overall, the Judges went 4-2, with their losses coming at the hands of Brown and BC, to finish 9-3 and in a tie with MIT for third place overall in the NFC standings. This is Feller's fourth career UAA Athlete of the Week award.
Bryson is a 2015 graduate of North Quincy High School.
Gourde is a 2013 graduate of York Academy in Toronto.
Litle is a 2013 graduate of Reali – Beit Beram.
Quin is a 2016 graduate of Ramsey High School.
Feller is a 2014 graduate of Hendrick Hudson High School.