Bryson, Irwin take home UAA Athlete of the Week honors

Bryson, Irwin take home UAA Athlete of the Week honors

WALTHAM, Mass. – Two Brandeis Judges have been selected as University Athletic Association Athletes of the Week for their performances during the week of Sept. 22-29. Senior Emily Bryson of Quincy, Massachusetts, was honored for women's cross country, while junior goalkeeper Greg Irwin of Passaic, New Jersey, was selected as the men's soccer Defensive Player of the Week.

Bryson took home UAA weekly honors for the second time this season and the ninth time in her career for cross country. She and the 22nd-ranked Judges remained undefeated on the season by winning the Bowdoin College Invitational. Racing at six kilometers for the first time in 2018, Bryson covered the race in 21:37.7 to win by nearly 30 seconds over Colby's Sophia Gorman. The Judges bested the field of 18 teams, defeating 26th-ranked Bates College, 39-43. Bryson's twin sister Julia finished in third place.

Brandeis women's cross country returns to action in two weeks, taking on their strongest field of the season to date at the University of Wisconsin Osh Kosh Invitational. The race is a preview of the NCAA Division III Championship course, where Bryson hopes to become the first Judge, male or female, to become a four-time cross country All-American.

Irwin claimed UAA honors for the first time in his career after posting a pair of shutouts in goal. He stopped four shots in a 1-0 win over Wheaton College on Sept. 25, then made seven saves – one shy of his career-best – in a 0-0 draw with Case Western Reserve University, ranked 23rd in Division III at the time by D3Soccer.com. With 200 scoreless minutes and 11 saves last week, Irwin leads the UAA with a .906 save percentage and ranks second with a 0.45 goals-against average and 29 total saves. He is 11th and 22nd among all Division III goalies in save percentage and GAA, respectively.

Brandeis returns to action on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. at MIT, then plays their first UAA road game of the season Saturday, Oct. 6, at eighth-ranked Carnegie Mellon at 11 a.m.

Bryson is a 2015 graduate of North Quincy High School.

Irwin is a 2016 graduate of Seton Hall Prep School.