College Update: Kostelnik, Walbrecht garner weekly conference awards
The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level.
Claire Kostelnik (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2013) St. Mary’s College of Maryland soccer junior: Kostelnik, a two-time Capital Athletic Conference All-Academic selection, was named the conference’s offensive player of the week Monday.
In a win Oct. 7 against Salisbury University, Kostelnik had two assists in the 2-1 triumph. Three days later, Kostelnik scored the game-winning goal 23 seconds into overtime in a 2-1 victory Saturday against the University of Mary Washington.
The Seahawks are 6-6, 4-1 in conference heading into Saturday’s conference match against Frostburg State.
Kostelnik is second on the Seahawks with 16 points and five goals and leads the team with six assists.
Kendall Walbrecht (La Cañada High, 2013) UC Davis volleyball junior: A multi-year standout at La Cañada, Walbrecht has been a contributor for the Aggies since her true freshman campaign.
On Monday, Walbrecht was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week.
In 3-0 wins against UC Santa Barbara and Cal State Fullerton, she tallied 17 and 13 kills, respectively. In six conference matches, Walbrecht has upped her game since moving from the right side to outside hitter, as she’s averaging 3.67 kills per set. She’s added four aces and 13 stuff blocks in that span.
On the season, she’s played in all 20 matches and 73 sets. Her 185 kills are second on the team, as are her 66 blocks.
UC Davis is 9-11, 4-2 in conference heading into a conference match against No. 8 Hawaii.
Ryan McAleenan (St. Francis High, 2012) University of Nevada Las Vegas football junior: McAleenan continues to turn in a terrific season at linebacker for the Rebels, as he tallied a team-high 12 tackles Saturday in UNLV’s 33-27 overtime loss at home to San Jose State in Mountain West Conference play.
McAleenan, through six games, is second on UNLV with 39 tackles to go along with two tackles for a loss, one sack, one interception and three passes defensed.
UNLV (2-4, 1-1 in conference) heads to Fresno State for another conference game Friday.
Bryan Luna (Crescenta Valley High, 2011) Nebraska Kearney football senior: Following a junior season in which he was sidelined for much of it with an injury, Luna has played in all six of his team’s games thus far.
He has 19 tackles, including 1.5 for a loss, with a season-high seven coming Sept. 26 against Central Missouri.
Unfortunately, Nebraska Kearney is 0-6 with an away game against Lindenwood University on Saturday.
Ty Gangi (St. Francis High, 2014) Ventura football freshman: For his lofty exploits in a 60-36 win for Ventura College against Moorpark on Oct. 3, Gangi was named the Southern California Football Assn. Northern Conference Offensive Player of the Week and the JC Athletic Bureau State Offensive Player of the Week.
The former All-Area Football Player of the Year threw for a school-record 452 yards along with five touchdowns on 35-of-52 passing. He added a rushing touchdown, as well.
Ventura, which hosts Pasadena City College on Saturday, is 3-3 following a 30-23 loss at Golden West. Gangi was 16 of 26 for 174 yards with three interceptions. He added a rushing touchdown.
Gangi, who’s splitting time with Brandon Jones, has completed 79 of 126 passes at a 63% clip for 920 yards, seven touchdowns and four interceptions this season.