WALTHAM, Mass. - The University Athletic Association (UAA) has honored six Brandeis University student-athletes as Athlete of the Week for Feb. 1. Senior guard Jessica Chapin of Mendon, N.Y., was honored for the second time this season for women's basketball, while junior Devon Holgate of Cumberland, R.I., and the women's distance medley relay team were honored for men's and women's track and field, respectively.
Chapin, who was also selected as the New England Women's Basketball Coaches Association (NEWBA) Player of the Week, earned the honor from the UAA for the second time in three weeks. Chapin had a huge week as the Judges went 2-0. She averaged 29.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals - all team highs - while shooting 55.6% from the floor (20-36), 33% from 3-point range (4-12) and 78.9% from the line (15-19).
In a 71-52 over Case Western Reserve University on Jan. 29, Chapin came one point short of her season- and career-high with 32 points (11-of-18 FG, 3-of-5 3FG, 7-of-10 FT). She also had a game-high 10 rebounds for her third double-double of the season and contributed four steals and three assists.
Chapin followed it up on Jan. 31 with 27 points (9-of-18 FG, 1-of-7 3FG, 8-of-9 FT) against Carnegie Mellon in a 70-58 victory while also dishing a game-high five assists. It was the fifth time this season she reached 25 points in a game. With 59 points on the weekend, Chapin moved into sixth place on Brandeis's career scoring list with 1,160, while her 13 rebounds made her the first woman in program history to rank in the top 10 in scoring (6th, 1,160), rebounds (10th, 491), assists (7th, 240) and steals (3rd (230).
Holgate, a junior, was the second Division III runner in the mile at the 2010 Terrier Classic at Boston University on Jan. 30. His time of 4:14.07 was 25th overall and reached the qualifying mark for the NCAA Division III championships and currently ranks him fifth in the nation.
The Brandeis women's distance medley relay team of seniors Beth Pisarik of Chelmsford, Mass., and Julia Alpaio of Cranston, R.I., rookie Anifreed Sinjour of New Bedford, Mass., and junior Grayce Selig of Narberth, Pa., also qualified for the NCAAs at the Terrier Classic. They finished second in their heat with a time of 12:03.95, behind only Division I LaSalle University. Their time is one of three in the nation this season to meet the NCAA Division III provisional standard and is the fastest time currently reported.
With the two new qualifiers, the Brandeis track and field teams are currently qualified for NCAAs in six events. In addition to her part in the DMR, Selig had previously qualified in the mile run a week earlier at the Greater Boston Track Club Invitational at Harvard with a school-record time of 5:00.53. She currently ranks fifth in the nation. Two Brandeis student-athletes are qualified in field events, as senior Suzanne Bernier of Hanson, Mass., is seventh in the high jump (1.67 meters), while junior Lucia Capano of Manchester, N.H., is 10th in the triple jump. Both qualified for NCAAs at their home meet, the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational. On the men's side, Holgate joins junior Paul Norton of Amherst, Mass., who is currently ranked fifth in the nation in the 5,000-meter run.
Chapin is a 2006 graduate of Honeoye Falls-Lima High School. She is the daughter of Michael and Deborah Chapin, Mendon, N.Y.
Holgate is a 2007 graduate of Cumberland High School. He is the son of David and Denise Holgate, Cumberland, R.I.
Pisarik is a 2006 graduate of Chelmsford High School. She is the daughter of Kristopher and Jennifer Pisarik, Chelmsford, Mass.
Alpaio is a 2006 graduate of Cranston East High School. She is the daughter of Ronald and Corina Alpaio, Cranston, R.I.
Sinjour is a 2009 graduate of New Bedford High School.
Selig is a 2007 graduate of the Springside School in Philadelphia, Pa. She is the daughter of William and Deborah Selig, Narberth, Pa.
Bernier is a 2006 graduate of Whitman-Hanson Regional High School. She is the daughter of Donald and Kathleen Bernier, Hanson, Mass.
Capano is a 2007 graduate of Manchester Central High School. She is the daughter of Peter and Susan Capano, Manchester, N.H.
Norton is a 2007 graduate of Amherst Regional High School. He is the son of David and Claire Norton, Amherst, Mass.