9/20/2006 - (Riverdale, NY) – Four Mount Saint Vincent student-athletes have been recognized for outstanding contributions to their during the week of Sept. 15. The awards were given by the Skyline Conference, Hudson Valley Women’s Athletic Conference (HVWAC), and Hudson Valley Men’s Athletic Conference (HVMAC). Junior Katherine Gentsch (Staten Island, NY/Curtis) was named to the Honor Roll of both the Skyline Conference and HVWAC. Junior Megan Fraino (New City, NY/Clarkstown South HS) was named the HVWAC Player of the Week for Women’s Tennis. Freshman Michelle Dedvukaj (Bronx, NY/St. Catherine) was named the HVWAC Women’s Volleyball Rookie of the Week. Finally, senior Chris MacDonald (Farmingdale, NY/Nassau CC) was named the HVMAC Player of the Week for Men’s Soccer, and was named to the Skyline Conference Honor Roll as well.

Gentsch, a first-team All-Conference pick by both the Skyline Conference and HVWAC a year ago, started 2006 right where she left off last season, scoring four goals as Mount Saint Vincent opened the 2006 season with a 7-0 win over Maritime College on Wednesday. Gentsch, who led the Skyline Conference in goals scored a year ago, tallied two goals during each half as the Mount enjoyed a commanding effort over their local rivals.

Fraino was a key contributor to the Mount’s stunning 6-3 win over the Pratt Institute on Saturday. After Pratt downed the Mount, 8-1 during the 2005 season, Fraino made sure that would not happen again, winning at both third singles and third doubles to help secure one of the biggest wins the Mount Saint Vincent Women’s Tennis team has enjoyed during the last two years.

Dedvukaj has been tremendous all season long for the Mount, and last week enjoyed a tremendous stretch as the Dolphins not only went 2-0, but did not lose a single game during that stretch. During wins over Cooper Union and Maritime College, Dedvukaj averaged 1.17 kills, 2.33 digs, and 0.33 assists and service aces, and for the 2006 season, she is third on the team in kills and leads the Mount in digs.

MacDonald, a two-time All-Conference pick by the HVMAC nearly eclipsed his 2005 point total during one week this season. The senior scored a goal and added an assist during a 6-2 loss to the College of Staten Island last Monday. Six days later, MacDonald exploded for three goals, all of which came during the first half, during a 7-2 win over Yeshiva as the Mount won for the first time in 2006. MacDonald, who recorded 12 points during the entire season a year ago, had nine points last week.