Softball freshman
Hope Jones and baseball junior
Colin Williams were named IUP Athletes of the Week, announced by the sports information office Monday morning.
Jones and Williams are the first IUP weekly awards selected following the cancellation of spring sports due to the COVID-19 pandemic March 13.
Jones went to Tunkhannock Area High School in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania and currently is undecided on a major. She started five games in the circle for the Crimson Hawks during her shortened freshman campaign, going 2-2 with four complete games and a 4.25 earned run average. Jones striking out 20 batters in 29.2 innings.
"Although it is very hard to wrap our heads around what is happening in the world right now, and why we aren't allowed to play our 2020 season, I am trying to find the positives in it all," said Jones.
"With this time off from softball I am able to spend more time with my family and pets," Jones continued. "I am also coming up with some pretty fun and creative at home workouts to stay in shape. I am also looking at the games that we did get to play as an intro to my freshman year of softball. This year was like dipping my toe into college softball so next year my team and I are ready to dive right in!"
Williams is in his second year as a starter at second base for the IUP baseball program. The small business management/entrepreneurship major from Cathedral Prep in Erie, Pennsylvania has a 3.4 cumulative grade point average and has been on the Dean's List four times.
Williams played in nine games with eight starts this year, hitting .240 with two doubles and a triple to go along with two stolen bases.
"Besides texting or calling coaches and teammates, the use of video chat with everyone will be very crucial and important," said Williams. "It allows everyone to see each other which raises good spirits for the team. It also allows us to ask questions to our coaches as a group about the current situation and to see what we can still do to better ourselves. We have a very special and close team, so our team will still talk every day and continue to catch up with each other."
Despite the cancellation of spring sports, IUP Athlete of the Week honors will continue through the rest of the semester, highlighting student-athletes and how they've transitioned in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
