Marlborough, Mass.- The NEWMAC has announced its Athlete of the Week honorees for the week ending 9/7/25, presented by SKYBOKX 109.  The full list of honorees can be found below.
 
Men’s Cross Country  
 
Runner of the Week- Paul Hobbs (Sr.), U.S. Coast Guard Academy
 
Senior Paul Hobbs (Vacaville, Calif.) took first place in the Purchase College Invitational, running the 6k race in 19:30.9 and helping the Bears to a second-place team finish.

Women’s Cross Country  
 
Runner of the Week- Claire Semerod (Sr.), U.S. Coast Guard Academy  
 
Senior Claire Semerod (Centennial, Colo.) dominated the Purchase College Invitational 4K, finishing first in 15:14.4 and outpacing the runner-up by over 40 seconds, helping the Coast Guard women to a first-place team finish.
 
Field Hockey
 
Offensive Athlete of the Week- Ava Audette (So., F), Wheaton College
 
Sophomore Ava Audette (Essex Junction, Vt.) tallied seven points on three goals and an assist. She began the week by assisting on a goal in a 3-0 win at Worcester State University on September 2. The forward capped the week with her first collegiate goal and added two more for her first career hat trick in a 5-0 victory over visiting Nichols College on September 6.
 
Defensive Athlete of the Week- Anna Bonazzoli (Fy., B), Babson College
 
First-year Anna Bonazzoli (Clinton, Mass.) capped an emotional week by helping No. 7 Babson secure a thrilling 2-1 overtime win against No. 4 Williams on Sunday. Playing all 67 minutes, she anchored a defense that held the Ephs to a season-low four shots on goal. Her composure, leadership, and defensive tenacity were key in a top-5 matchup, all while navigating a personal tragedy after the loss of her brother earlier in the week. Bonazzoli’s performance not only helped the Beavers earn their first OT victory since the second round of the 2023 NCAA Tournament but also highlighted her resilience and impact as a cornerstone of Babson’s defensive unit.
 
Football
 
Offensive Athlete of the Week- Harrison Hensley (Jr., RB), U.S. Coast Guard Academy 
 
Junior Harrison Hensley (Riverview, Fla.) rushed 30 times for 324 yards and touchdowns of 6, 8, 26, and 57 yards in a gut-wrenching 56-49 overtime loss at the University of New England. Hensley also had five receptions for 67 yards, including a long gain of 41 yards, to account for 391 yards total offense for the Bears. He also threw for a two-point conversion.
 
Defensive Athlete of the Week- Blayne Shiraki (So., LB), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
 
Sophomore Blayne Shiraki (Honolulu, Hawaii) made a game-changing play in Maine Maritime’s 29-15 victory over Montclair State, intercepting a Red Hawks pass in the second quarter and returning it 12 yards for a touchdown. The sophomore defender also added three tackles, including one for a four-yard loss, and broke up a pass in the win. His defensive score swung momentum and set the tone for the Mariners’ season-opening victory.
 
Special Teams Athlete of the Week- Jacoby Smith, (Sr., WR/KR), Salve Regina University  
 
Senior Jacoby Smith (Middletown, R.I.) made an immediate impact in the return game, sparking Salve Regina with an 87-yard kickoff return touchdown in the first half against UMass Dartmouth. The return not only marked the Seahawks’ first kickoff return score of the season but also extended their lead heading into halftime. Smith finished the day with two returns for 109 yards, averaging an impressive 54.5 yards per attempt, and provided a game-changing boost on special teams.
 
Men’s Soccer
 
Offensive Athlete of the Week- Baden McLaughlin (Sr., M), Wheaton College
 
Senior Baden McLaughlin (Yarmouth, Maine) tallied five points on a pair of goals and an assist. The senior scored Wheaton's lone goal in the 67th minute to give the Lyons a 1-1 tie at No. 10 Williams College on September 2. McLaughlin tallied three points with a goal and an assist in a 9-1 victory over the University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) on September 6 to cap the week. 
 
Defensive Athlete of the Week- Savio Ketnouvong (So., GK), WPI
 
Sophomore Savio Ketnouvong (Paxton, Mass.) was perfect between the pipes for WPI, posting two clean sheets over more than 160 minutes of action last week. Ketnouvong opened with a steady performance in a 2-0 victory over Anna Maria, making two saves to secure the Engineers’ home opener. He followed with a standout effort in a weather-shortened draw against RPI, stopping all four shots on target in just over 71 minutes of play. For the week, Ketnouvong registered six saves, a 1.000 save percentage, and a flawless 0.00 goals-against average, helping WPI extend its unbeaten start to the season.
 
Women’s Soccer
 
Offensive Athlete of the Week- Georgia Louis (So., F), Clark University
 
Sophomore Georgia Louis (West Hartford, Conn.) led the Cougars’ offense this week with three goals and an assist in two games. The sophomore opened her week with two goals and an assist in a 10-0 victory at Framingham State on Wednesday. Louis registered Clark's goal in a 1-1 draw against WNE on Saturday. 
 
Defensive Athlete of the Week- Riley McNair (Sr., GK), Wellesley College  
 
Senior Riley McNair (Cupertino, Calif.) had a big week for Wellesley, earning 18 saves and a .900 save percentage across 135 minutes in goal. On Wednesday, McNair allowed no goals on six saves in the first of a combined shutout to help the Blue defeat Endicott. Versus Brandeis on Sunday, the senior made 12 stops to keep Wellesley close against high-level opposition.

Volleyball
 
Offensive Athlete of the Week- Addison Klunder (Jr., OH), Smith College
 
Junior Addison Klunder (Los Angeles, Calif.) hit .309 with 32 kills in a 3-0 week for the Bears. She had a hitting percentage of .533 in a three-set win over Dean College with 9 kills on 15 swings. She had 10 kills on 17 swings over Bridgewater State in a three-set win and finished off the weekend with 13 kills over Vassar. Addison also contributed on the defensive end with 20 digs. She contributed 5.00 points per set between her swings and aces. 
 
Defensive Athlete of the Week- Alana Harris (Sr., L), WPI
 
Senior Alana Harris (Lowell, Mass.) anchored the WPI back row with 48 digs (3.69/set) and steady serve receive during a three-match week. She registered 10 digs in the four-set win at Amherst, then followed with a team-high 18 digs in a three-set clash with Lasell. Harris capped the week with a match-best 20 digs in a five-set victory over Plymouth State, repeatedly neutralizing Panther attacks in crucial late-set moments.  Across the three matches, Harris averaged nearly four digs per set while handling a team-high volume of serve receptions, spearheading a defensive unit that held opponents to a collective .191 hitting percentage.
 
About the NEWMAC

The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with four Associate Members: Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), while sponsoring 20 sports.