Cole Phelps, Central Connecticut State University football
The CCSU offense has put up some record numbers this season, and Saturday’s 49-24 win over Wagner was no exception.
Aaron Dawson gets the recognition, and rightfully so, for his 361-yard performance, which included an NCAA Division I record of 308 yards in the second half alone. Dawson doesn’t get those 361 yards without some help from the big guys up front though, and one of those big guys is Cole Phelps, the former Wolcott standout linemen.
Phelps took up his starting spot on the offensive line for the ninth time in nine games versus Wagner. He has been a mainstay on a line that has paved the way for some big days for the Blue Devil offense. Earlier this season, CCSU set an NEC and program record for total yards in a game against Robert Morris.
Phelps is a junior and an honor roll student.
Haley Knox, Eastern Connecticut State University cross country
The Warrior women didn’t come up with the same storybook finish as last postseason, but the former Bristol Central helped her team finish a respectable second.
Knox finished sixth in the Little East Conference championship race and earned all-conference honors for the second straight season. Knox’s sixth place finish was three spots better than her effort last season, when she placed ninth. ECSU won the LEC championship for the first time last season. The Warriors didn’t repeat this time around, but Knox still had an admirable showing.
ECSU had three runners inside the Top 10, but LEC champion Keene State also had three Top 10 finishers, including the individual champion, Lauren Perkowski, who ironically is from just down the road in Southington. ECSU’s second place finish was still the second-best one its had since the LEC championship expanded to seven teams in 2013.
Knox is a senior and is majoring in mathematics.
Colby Macdonald, Elms College soccer
This former Bristol Central mainstay ended the home portion of his Elms senior season in style, then picked up a postseason award.
Macdonald scored two goals in a 5-2 victory over Eastern Nazarene on Senior Day, Oct. 20. He scored early in the second half (50:04 mark) to put the Blazers ahead 3-0. Eastern Nazarene got a goal back at 66:30, but Macdonald helped put the visitors away with his second goal at the 69:26 mark, which gave Elms a 4-1 lead.
After the regular season, Macdonald was chosen as a second team All-New England Collegiate Conference performer. Macdonald started all 19 games for Elms and tallied nine points on four goals and one assist. Two of Macdonald’s goals were game-winners.
Macdonald is majoring in business and sports management.
Donald Cianciolo, Elms College cross country
Cianciolo was a team leader at Kennedy High School, serving as captain of the cross country and outdoor track teams for the Eagles. In his sophomore season at Elms, Cianciolo was one of the leaders on the course.
Cianciolo finished 12th overall in the NECC championship race and earned second team all-conference accolades. He helped Elms finish in third place as a team. Cianciolo was consistently one of the top runners for the Blazer men this fall.
Cianciolo is majoring in computer information technology and security.
Emilie Nowakowski, New England College soccer
This former St. Paul team MVP has been a major part of a Pilgrim defense that allowed four goals in conference games.
For her efforts, Nowakowski was chosen third team All-NECC. This is the second time Nowakowski has been named all-conference. In 2017, she was second team All-North Atlantic Conference for the Pilgrims. Nowakowski was part of an NEC defense that recorded eight shutouts in 2017.
Nowakowski has played in 22 games and made 21 starts. Despite being in the defensive backfield, she is tied for fourth on the team in assists with six. Nowakowski has played 1,316 minutes, the seventh most on the team.
Nowakowski is majoring in health science.
Statistics and information compiled from the team website of each athlete/coach.
