Football Player of the Week Announced (10.21.24)

BETHLEHEM, Pa.- Holy Cross earned three weekly awards, while American and Loyola Maryland each earned one when the Patriot League announced its football awards Monday.

Holy Cross freshman Thomas Mancuso was named the Patriot League Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week after recording his first career goal and assist in the Crusaders’ 3-0 win over Navy. Fellow goaltender Tristan Stephani earned Patriot League Goaltender of the Week after his first shutout of the season.

All-American junior forward Troy Elgersma was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week after tallying three assists in two games, including setting up the game-winner in the Eagles’ 1-0 win at Lafayette.

Loyola Maryland junior defenseman Pat Kakayira was named Patriot League Defender of the Week after contributing two assists in the Greyhounds’ 4-1 win against Lehigh.

All-American junior goalie Matthew Tibbetts, sophomore defenseman Jared Weber, Bucknell senior forward Waldemar Kattrup, and Loyola Maryland senior forward Jake Sweeney received honorable mentions.

The men’s soccer Players of the Week are selected by the votes of the League’s head coaches, who are not eligible to vote for their athletes.

Patriot League Men’s Soccer Standings 2024 (as of October 21)

School	PL	PL Pct.	Details	In general	Overall Pct.
Boston University	3-1-2	.667	11	3-3-8	.500
Bucknell	3-1-2	.667	11	5-6-3	.464
Loyola Maryland	3-2-1	.583	10	4-6-3	.423
Lehigh	3-2-1	.583	10	5-7-3	.433
American	3-2-1	.583	10	4-5-5	.464
Colgate	2-2-2	.500	8	4-6-3	.423
Navy	2-3-1	.417	7	3-6-4	.385
Lafayette	2-3-1	.417	7	6-5-3	.536
The Holy Cross	2-3-1	.417	7	3-9-3	.300
Army at West Point	1-5-0	.167	3	4-9-1	.321

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Football Player Offensive Player of the Week

Troy Elgersma, American, Jr., Midfielder, Redlands, Ca./ Redlands

• Elgersma recorded three assists in two games during a 1-1 week for the Eagles, including the win over Lafayette.
• The forward assisted the game-winning goal in the 86th minute to give the Eagles the victory.
• Elgersma also assisted on two goals in America’s 4-2 loss to Virginia.

Football Player of the Year and Rookie of the Week
Thomas Mancuso, Holy Cross, Fr., Midfielder, Prairie Village, Ks./ Shawnee Mission East

• Mancuso recorded a goal and an assist in the Crusaders’ 3-0 win over Navy.
• The rookie’s goal in the 81st minute was the first of his career, then Mancuso assisted James Ferraro’s goal in the 84th minute to extend the Crusaders’ lead.

Football League Defensive Player of the Week
Pat Kakayira, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Defender, Germantown, Md./ Northwest

• Kakayira recorded two assists in the opening game and scored the goals in the Greyhounds’ 4-1 win over Lehigh.
• He logged 72 minutes in the win, playing a key role in a backline that limited Lehigh to three shots on goal.

Major League Soccer Men’s Player of the Week
Tristan Stephani, Holy Cross, Sr., Goalkeeper, Norfolk, Mass./King Philip Regional

• Stephani recorded his first shutout of the season in a 3-0 win over Navy.
• He made six long saves against the Mids and now has five career shutouts with the Crusaders.

Honorable Mentions
Jake Sweeney, Loyola Maryland, Sr., Emerson, NJ/Bergen Catholic

• Sweeney scored a first-half goal for the third straight game, giving the Greyhounds a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute en route to a 4-1 win at Lehigh.

Waldemar Kattrup, Bucknell, Sr., Midfielder, Copenhagen, Denmark/ Falkonergaardens Gymnasium

• Kattrup scored his first goal of the season with a shot into the top left corner from 25 yards out in the 85th minute, helping the Bison beat West Point 1-0.

Jared Weber, American, So., Defender, Falls Church, Va./ Justice

• Weber scored his first goal of the game, the game-winner, in the 87th minute of a 1-0 win against Lafayette. The defender also helped the Eagles record their fourth shutout of the season.

Matthew Tibbetts, American, Jr., Goalkeeper, Westborough, Mass./ K12 Private Academy

• Tibbetts posted his fourth shutout of the season in the Eagles’ 1-0 win over Lafayette, making three saves. He also made two saves in America’s 4-2 loss to Virginia.

Offensive Player of the Week

8.25- Jack Beerling, Colgate, So., Forward
9.2- Evan Jones, Holy Cross, Sr., Forward
9.9- Wyatt Stevens, Navy, Fr., Forward
9.16- Andrea Di Blasio, Boston University, Soph., Forward
9.23- Mustapha Sowe, American, Sr., Forward
9.30- Aiden Gonzalez, Lehigh, Fy., Forward
10.7- Dilane Zouantcha, American, Sr., Forward
10.14- Thomas Robertson, Lehigh, Fy., Forward
10.21- Troy Elgersma, American, Jr., Midfielder

Player of the Week
8.25- Noah Levy, Lehigh, Jr., Midfielder
9.2- Marcus Williams, Holy Cross, Sr., Midfielder
9.9- Wasswa Robbins, Navy, Sr., Midfielder
9.16- Cohen Weaver, Bucknell, Jr., Midfielder
9.23- Troy Elgersma, American, Jr., Midfielder
9.30- Perry Kingson, Lehigh, Sr., Midfielder
10.7- Perry Kingson, Lehigh, Sr., Midfielder
10.14- Cade Maglione, Lafayette, Fr., Midfielder
10.21- Thomas Mancuso, Holy Cross, Fr., Midfielder

Defender of the Week
8.25- Jacob Blackwin, Colgate, Jr., Defender
9.2- Trey Sheeler, Lehigh, So., Defender
9.9- Cooper Nunn, America, Grad., Defender
9.16- Jacob Blackwin, Colgate, Sr., Defender
9.23- Nicholas Shirley, American, Sr., Defender
9.30- Charlie Kriel, Navy, Sr., Defender
10.7- Ben Sheffield, Bucknell, Jr., Defender
10.14- Oscar Halls, Loyola Maryland, Fr., Defender
10.21- Pat Kakayira, Loyola Maryland, Jr., Defender



Goalkeeper of the Week
8.25- Oliver Townend, Colgate, Sr., Shortstop
9.2- Josh Tubbs, Holy Cross, Sr., Blocker
9.9- Matthew Tibbetts, American, Jr., Blocker
9.16- Matthew Tibbetts, American, Jr., Guard
9.23- Freddie Lapworth, Bucknell, Jr., Blocker
9.30- Freddie Lapworth, Bucknell, Jr., Blocker
10.7- Oliver Townend, Colgate, Sr., Blocker
10.14- Andrew Wike, Boston University, Gr., Guard
10.21- Tristan Stephani, Holy Cross, Sr., Player

Rookie of the Week
8.25- Ronald Zhai, Army West Point, Fr., Forward
9.2- Kasem Minzey, Army West Point, Fr., Defender
9.9- Cade Maglione, Lafayette, Fr., Midfield
9.16- Blake Pipkin, Colgate, Fr., Forward
9.23- Wyatt Stevens, Navy, Fr., Forward
9.30- Aiden Gonzalez, Lehigh, Fy., Forward
10.7- Drew Roskos, Bucknell, Fr., Forward
10.14- Oscar Halls, Loyola Maryland, Fr., Defender
10.21- Thomas Mancuso, Holy Cross, Fr., Midfielder





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