Monmouth’s Criscione and Niagara’s Messenger Named Pepsi Zero MAAC Student-Athletes of the Week
Jimmy Criscione
Monmouth University
Men’s Golf
A three-year member of the Monmouth Men’s Golf team, Jimmy Criscione is a multiple-time member of the MAAC All-Academic Team. Active in Monmouth’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (MSAAC), Criscione has played in 17 tournaments at Monmouth, including the 2019 MAAC Championships. This year, he finished 13
th at the Hawk Invitational and last season fired a 72 in the final round of the Wildcat Spring Invitational.
Michelle Messenger
Niagara University
Women’s Lacrosse
Messenger’s abbreviated sophomore season ended with her leading the nation in save percentage (.577) through 283 minutes played over seven games. She also posted a record of 2-1 in her seven appearances, with the lone loss coming on March 9 at Louisville despite making a season-high 20 saves on the day. On March 2, Messenger was named the MAAC Women's Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in her career. The honor came following a jaw-dropping, 18-save performance over Saint Francis (PA) the day before. Messenger only allowed eight goals in the victory, boosting her save percentage 170 points to a .628. Following the 2020 season, Messenger now has a career save percentage of .502, third-best in program history. And after averaging 10.71 saves per game in 2020, Messenger climbed into Niagara’s all-time top-10 lists for saves (9th – 136) and wins (t-8th – 3).
About the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference:
With 11 institutions strongly bound by the sound principles of quality and integrity in academics and excellence in athletics, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) is in its 39
th year of competition during the 2019-20 academic year. Current conference members include: Canisius College, Fairfield University, Iona College, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Niagara University, Quinnipiac University, Rider University, Saint Peter’s University, and Siena College.