Allegheny College senior thrower Liz Earley, a Peters Township High School graduate, has been named the North Coast Athletic Conference Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week for her performance at the Washington & Jefferson Invitational.

Earley, a three-time All-American, won the hammer throw event at W&J with an NCAA Championship provisional qualifying distance of 171 feet, 10¹/₂ inches.

Her throw came close to the NCAA automatic mark of 172-7 and is the best in Division III this season.

Upper St. Clair High School graduate Ashley Dodd, a junior on the Waynesburg University women's track team, broke her own school record in the pole vault Saturday at the Slippery Rock Invitational.

Dodd posted a second-place finish in the pole vault, clearing a school-record 12 feet. Her height was behind only the mark set by Slippery Rock's Jen Hansen, who finished in second place at the NCAA Division II Track & Field Championships last season.

Waynesburg resumes competition on Saturday at the Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) Open. Events are scheduled for a 10 a.m. start.

After leading the Canisius College men's lacrosse team to a school record fourth consecutive win, Canisius sophomore Matt Barkas, an Upper St. Clair resident, was honored by the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference.

Barkas, an Upper St. Clair High School graduate, helped the Griffins to a 12-5 victory over Marist, earning MAAC Defensive Player of the Week accolades.

Barkas earned MAAC honors for the first time in his career. A sophomore defender, he recorded five ground balls and led the team with four caused turnovers in the victory over Marist. With the Griffs trailing 4-3 at the intermission, Barkas anchored the Canisius defense to a strong showing in the second half.

The Griffs outscored the Red Foxes, 9-1, in the second frame as Barkas recorded three ground balls and three caused turnovers in the half.

Barkas, who is the first non-goalie to win MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honors this season, has played in all seven games for the Griffs this season with six starting assignments.