Benediktsson and Holtzman Named Pepsi MAAC Student-Athletes of the Week
Bjarki Benediktsson
Canisius College
Men’s Soccer
Benediktsson has been one of the top playmakers in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference over the past two seasons, leading the league and ranking eighth nationally with 10 assists in 2017. This season, the Hafnarfjordur, Iceland native has recorded two assists as he makes his way up the program’s career assists chart.
The senior was a 2017 MAAC All-Academic Team and a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection as a history major.
Amanda Holtzman
Siena College
Women’s Soccer
A Preseason All-MAAC selection, Holtzman was tabbed both a First Team All-MAAC and a United Soccer Coaches All-East Region Third Team honoree last season. The senior back started all 19 matches at right back last fall, and led the Saints with 1,571 minutes logged. She helped anchor a defensive unit which posted a 1.17 goals against average and ranked third in the MAAC with seven shutouts. So far this season, Holtzman has appeared in all 10 matches (nine starts) and logged 848 minutes for a defense allowing just 1.34 goals per match. A 2015 MAAC All-Rookie Team selection, for her career she's started 54 of the 59 matches that she has appeared in.
Holtzman currently possesses a 3.31 cumulative GPA while majoring in Psychology. She has been named to the MAAC All-Academic Team and Academic Honor Roll in each of the previous two seasons.