Athlete of the Semester: Graciano Brito

Photo Credit: QuinnipiacBobcats.com

By Steven Ceruti

Add another accolade to the illustrious college career of men’s soccer forward Graciano Brito. After winning his second straight NEC Player of the Year award Brito is the pick for WQAQ Athlete of the Semester after he lead the Bobcats to the NEC playoffs and set a Quinnipiac single-season Division I record for goals and points in a season.

The co-captain of the team was clearly the leader and came up clutch for the Bobcats all season long, whether it was a big goal or fighting through all the double teams he faced all year long. Graciano was clearly head and shoulders above the rest when it came to performance and constantly reminded opponents of his serious speed and goal scoring ability. Brito, who played and started in all 19 of the Bobcats games this season, tallied 18 goals and three assists to give him 39 points on the year. The senior’s play all year long was what enabled Quinnipiac to make a postseason run. His value couldn’t have been on display more than in the Bobcats’ final game of the season against Mount St. Mary’s, a game which they needed to win. Brito scored two goals in the 3-0 victory, propelling Quinnipiac to the NEC tournament.

He will certainly be missed by Coach Eric Da Costa and by all his teammates next season but all were glad to have played alongside him. Coming into the year, he knew he had the chance to do something special but he would also face the best defenses his opponents could throw at him. However, he fought through the adversity and when teams double and triple teamed him, it opened up more opportunities for his teammates to show what they could do and he had confidence they could get the job done.

Brito has also recently been named to the NEC all-tournament team along with his teammate Freddy Hall, an award he was very much deserving of. Graciano finishes his Quinnipiac career with 40 goals and 92 points, both Bobcat Division I records and the 10-win season he was a part of is something he was very proud of. Brito will go down as one of the greatest players in Quinnipiac history, Northeast Conference history and he will undoubtedly have a bright future ahead of him. We wish him the best of luck and thank him for his hard work and great play over his four years here at Quinnipiac University.

Athlete of the Week: Justin Rutty

Photo Credit: QuinnipiacBobcats.com

By Steven Ceruti

After scoring 30 points in a 73-66 win over Maine Tuesday, Nov. 25, men’s basketball forward Justin Rutty is this week’s pick for WQAQ Athlete of the Week. The Bobcats improved to 3-2 on the season behind Rutty’s 13-for-16 shooting performance and seven rebounds. Rutty, who is a sophomore from New York, doubled his previous high scoring performance of 14 and played 32 minutes, good for third on the team.

He did not miss a shot in the first half going 5-for-5 from the floor after leading the NEC in field goal percentage last season. His 30 points were clearly the difference in a game that was close throughout. The Bobcats knew he was on and kept feeding him the ball. Rutty is second on the team in scoring this season, averaging just over 14 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding, averaging 6.3 per game. Rutty has stepped up his play in the post for the Bobcats this season with Louis Brookins out with injury.

With Rutty emerging as a true low post threat, the Bobcats have another weapon they can use and he will only get better as the season goes on. He is one of the better offensive rebounders in the NEC and gives his teammates more opportunities to score. A player like Justin Rutty is someone any coach would like to have on their team because of his hard work and willingness to do the hard things. Rutty and the Bobcats take on Monmount in their NEC conference opener Saturday, Dec. 6 at the TD Banknorth Sports Center at 2 p.m.

Athlete of the Week: Bryan Leitch

Photo Credit: QuinnipiacBobcats.com

By Steven Ceruti

After a huge weekend for the Quinnipiac men’s hockey team which included two big wins over Union and RPI, senior forward Bryan Leitch is this week’s pick for WQAQ Athlete of the Week. Leitch lead the Bobcats with three goals and two assists against Union in their 6-3 win Friday, and added two more assists in the 5-1 win over RPI on Saturday. The five points he tallied against Union were the most in his career and it was also his first hat trick as a member of the Bobcats.

The Bobcats had a tough time scoring this season and when Leitch scored his first goal of the game in the first period, the flood gates seemed to open for the QU. That goal broke a 194-minute scoreless streak for Quinnipiac, and gave them the confidence they carried through their huge weekend with two conference wins. They had been shut out in the three previous games but exploded for 11 goals over the weekend, seven of which Leitch was involved with.

On the season, Leitch has been a huge player for the Bobcats with three goals along with his team leading 10 assists. He is +1 overall, and now that the offense seems to be coming around, look for Leitch to make an even bigger mark on the offensive end. Quinnipiac has another big weekend coming up on the road in New York. They take on a tough Clarkson team on Friday at 7 p.m. and then go to St. Lawrence on Saturday when they will battle the Saints at 4 p.m. Leitch will look to continue his offensive success and keep the Bobcats winning streak alive.

WQAQ Athlete of the Week: Elyse Cole

Photo Credit: QuinnipiacBobcats.com

By Steven Ceruti

This week’s pick for WQAQ Athlete of the Week is Elyse Cole of the women’s hockey team after her strong play lead to three Bobcat points this past weekend. She scored two goals in Quinnipiac’s 2-2 tie against Cornell, giving her the record for most goals scored in Quinnipiac women’s hockey history at 38. Cole, a senior forward, moved past Vicky Graham who set the previous mark last season at 36. Her two goals gave the Bobcats a big point which capped off a great weekend (Quinnipiac defeated Colgate 3-2 on Friday).

Her first goal of the game came in a five-on-three advantage with 10:36 left in the second when she cleaned up a rebound and put the puck past Cornell goalkeeper Kayla Strong. Her second of the game came just a minute later when Melissa Perry found Cole on the right side for a shot which she put in the top corner. The goals give her five on the year for Quinnipiac and have helped the team gain some confidence this past weekend.

Cole was last year’s team MVP and best offensive player. She will be a huge part in the Bobcats game plan this season. She has played in at least 27 games a year since she was a freshman in 2005. On the season she’s recorded five goals and two assists giving her seven points which is good for second on the team. In their next game, Quinnipiac will take on the University of Vermont on Friday, Nov. 14 at the TD Banknorth Sports Center. The action will start at 7 p.m. where Cole and the Bobcats will look to continue their solid play.

WQAQ Athlete of the Week: Stephanie Biediger

By: Steven Ceruti

This week’s pick for WQAQ Athlete of the Week is Volleyball player Stephanie Biediger after her stong performance in the win against Wagner on Sunday, Nov. 2. Biediger recorded nine kills and two digs in Quinnipiac’s straight sets victory over the Seahawks, their first Northeast Conference victory this season. QU won in deciding fashion 28-26, 25-16, and 26-24, moving the Bobcats to 4-26 overall and 1-4 in the conference on the year. The freshman Biediger has been an integral member of the team this season after lettering all four years in high school at Houston Baptist in her hometown of Houston, Texas.

On the season, Biediger has recorded 214 kills which is the most on the team along with 216 digs, good for third on the team. Going forward, Biediger will need to continue her strong play for the Bobcats to have the type of success they want to achieve. But one thing is for sure: They have a magnificent player going into the future.