Brockport’s Peyton Maneri was named Empire 8 women’s basketball Rookie of the Week for the fourth time this season, the Empire 8 announced Monday. This past week Maneri averaged 10 points, 3.3 assists, and three steals as the Golden Eagles went 3-0. Her best outing came in the team’s 71-58 win over Elmira where she posted 15 points on 60 percent shooting.
“Winning Rookie of the Week for the fourth time is a great feeling,” Maneri said. “I feel like it is more of a team award than it is a personal one. Without the help of my team I wouldn’t be able to get recognized the way that I am.
Maneri currently ranks third on the team in points per game, averaging 8.2, and is second on the team in assists with 52 on the season. She also has been dominant on defense, leading the team in steals with 50 this year, which ranks second in the Empire 8.
Maneri’s teammate and team captain Cam Tooley is impressed with what she has seen from Maneri so far this season.
“Peyton has been a tremendous asset to our team this year,” Tooley said. “As a freshman, I love her confidence, her fearlessness and her willingness to learn from our coaches and teammates. I think what I like most about her game is that she’s a great defender and she has the ability to make great passes and see the floor very well. She has the ability to impact the game in so many ways.”
Mandy Brink, another teammate of Maneri’s, averaged 19.3 points per game last season as a freshman and has helped Maneri in her transition to college basketball.
“I told her to just be confident in herself,” Brink said. “Coming in as a freshman can be intimidating and hard but she has kept herself so composed. That’s what makes her stand out.
Maneri credits her success this season to both Tooley and Brink.
“Cam and Mandy are amazing teammates to have,” Maneri said. “They are always pushing me to be a better player. Cam is a great leader and a great role model. Her encouragement and basketball IQ show me many new things as a freshman first coming in. Mandy is a very positive and competitive teammate. She pushes me in practice, whether I’m guarding her or she is guarding me. Mandy wants me to be the best version of myself.”
With the win over Elmira on Saturday, the Golden Eagles clinched an Empire 8 postseason berth in their first season in the conference. With crucial games coming up this weekend versus Nazareth and the undefeated St. John Fisher, Maneri knows the team will have to play their game to continue their historic season.
“We will have to continue to play the way we play and compete in every game,” Maneri said. “We need to stay on track to our vision and focus. Trusting each other is a big part of our culture and as long as we follow that I believe we will make our statement in the Empire 8.”
Brockport is currently 18-2 overall and 11-0 in the conference. They will host Nazareth Friday night at 5:30 p.m. and St. John Fisher for senior day Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.
