Regis Athletics Well-Represented in GNAC Weekly Awards

WINTHROP, Mass. - The Regis College athletics department picked up five weekly awards from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference as the October 14 weekly reports were released by the league office.

In the first weekly report for women's swimming and diving, senior Olivia Luhnau (Castle Rock, Colo.) was named GNAC Female Swimmer of the Week. Friday evening against University of Saint Joseph, Luhnau won three individual events, touching the wall first in the 50 breaststroke in 34.54 seconds, the 100 breaststroke in 1:18.23, and the 100 individual medley in 1:08.12.

Saturday against a strong Babson squad, Luhnau finished third in both the 50 freestyle with a time of 26.85 seconds and the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:08.62. Luhnau, the 2024 GNAC champion in the 100 individual medley, is in the Regis top 20 times list in nine different events.

Junior Liam Austin (Boston, Mass.) was selected GNAC Male Diver of the Week in the first weekly report of the year for men's swimming and diving. Friday night against the University of Saint Joseph, Austin won the one-meter event with an 11-dive score of 278.15.

Saturday at Babson, he finished second in both diving sessions, posting six-dive scores of 159.65 in three-meter diving and 219.00 in one-meter diving, just four points off his own school record in one-meter diving. An All-GNAC diver, Austin has now been named GNAC Diver of the Week five times over the past two years.

First-year setter Alexandra Rivera (Bristol, Conn.) has been named GNAC Women's Volleyball Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this season, plus she picked up her first career GNAC Setter of the Week award. Last Tuesday at Salve Regina, she tied her season high with 35 assists to go along with one service ace, five digs, and two block assists in the Pride's five-set victory. In the deciding set, she put her hitters in the right position as Regis made just one attack error and hit .308 in the set.

Friday night in a key conference match against Johnson and Wales, Rivera established a new season high for assists in a single match with 39 assists, plus she earned seven digs in the contest. For the season, she is sixth in the GNAC in total assists with 336 and ninth in assists per set at 5.25.

Another first-year player was recognized by the league office as forward Sienna Santiago (Brewster, N.Y.) received GNAC Women's Soccer Rookie of the Week honors. Wednesday night against Wentworth, she scored just over two minutes into the second half to give the Pride an insurance goal they would need in the 2-1 victory.

Saturday against Anna Maria, Santiago finished with two goals and one assist as Regis cruised to victory. For the season, Santiago is now second on the team with seven goals and 16 total points, plus she leads the Pride and the GNAC with four game-winning goals, including Wednesday's tally against the Leopards.

Regis College sponsors 19 intercollegiate sports within NCAA Division III as a full member of the GNAC.