UTICA, NY - After leading their team to a pair of successful weekend results, Natalie Cornell (Greenwood, NY/Jasper-Troupsburg) and Alex Venning (Courtice, ON/) have been named the Pioneer Athletes of the Week for the week of February 9th. This is both athletes' first Pioneer honor of the academic year. 

Cornell played a pivotal role for Utica during a two-game week, averaging a double-double with 17.5 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while logging over 34 minutes per contest. Cornell's consistent interior presence anchored the Pioneers on both ends of the floor, as she also added five assists per game. Cornell opened the week with a 16-point, 10-rebound performance against Alfred, recording a double-double while contributing defensively with a pair of blocks. She followed with an efficient and dominant outing in the Pioneer's 86-75 win over Houghton, shooting 9 of 13 from the field en route to a 19-point, 12-rebound effort. 

Cornell and the women's basketball team will hit the road this weekend for a pair of contests in Rochester. They take on SUNY Geneseo on Friday night at 5:30 PM, before heading up 390 to face SUNY Brockport the following day at 2:00 PM.

Venning and the Pioneers battled with first-year program St. John Fisher in a home-and-home set. The sophomore goalie played in both games, taking home her second and third wins of the season, and the first shutout of her collegiate career. Venning made saves on all but one of 26 shots in game one before turning away all 29 in game two. Her game two shutout win was highlighted by an 18-save third period, shutting the door on the Cardinals' attempts to work back into the game. Through the two games, she earned a .982 save percentage, improving her season-long mark to .934.

Venning and the Pioneers will play host to Manhattanville this coming weekend, battling the Valiants at home for a Friday-Saturday two-game set. Game one gets underway at 4:00 PM on Friday night, while Saturday's contest is slated for a 1:00 PM start time.