SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (February 23, 2026) – Four Golden Bears representing three winter sports have claimed Golden Bear Athletes of the Week this week following memorable performances to close out big events in their respective seasons. Women's Wrestling's  Maddie Ripley and Atiyana Williams, men's ice hockey's Camille Marcoux, and men's basketball's Luka Vlajkovic all earned the award this week. 

Maddie Ripley won the 117 lb. weight class this past weekend at the 2026 NCAA Regional Championships, becoming the second Golden Bear in program history to win a weight class at a regional setting. Ripley, the two-seed in the tournament bracket, eased her way to the quarterfinal round with an opening match victory that needed just 13 seconds to pick up a fall victory. Ripley then took on the quarterfinal round, where the Owls Head, Maine native earned a 12-0 technical fall victory to advance to the weight class semifinals. That match featured a 10-0 technical fall victory for the WNE first-year, who took down her opponent in 1:06 to get into the first-place match. There, the match went the distance, seeing Ripley pull out a 6-1 decision victory to upset the top seed in the bracket, coming away with the championship victory to punch her ticket to the NCAA Championships. 

Atiyana Williams then became the third Golden Bear in program history to come away with a regional championship, winning the 180 lb. weight class this past weekend. Williams, also the second seed in the bracket, opened the regional event with a fall victory in 53 seconds to advance to the quarterfinals. Williams dominated her opponent in the next round, earning a technical fall win, 10-0, in just 1:57 to move on to the semifinal round. In the semis, the Pemberton, New Jersey, native earned a fall victory in just 13 seconds to move her way into the championship bout. Williams took down the top seed from Sacred Heart University on a fall late in the match at the 4:58 mark, claiming victory at 180 lbs. to punch her ticket to the NCAA Championships in Iowa in two weeks' time. 

Camille Marcoux skated in his final game as a Golden Bear this past weekend, coming away with a goal and an assist in a 3-2 overtime victory over Wentworth Institute of Technology. Marcoux opened the scoring for the Golden Bears in the win, scoring 11:14 into the first period. Marcoux then delivered the game-winning assist in overtime to lift Western New England to a win in the final game of the season. The Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Ontario native finished his season with three goals and three assists while taking 28 shots on goal. 

Luka Vlajkovic earns his third Golden Bear Athlete of the Week honors this season after pouring in double figures in both Conference of New England victories this week, leading WNE to its eighth and ninth straight victories of the season. To open the week, Vlajkovic scored 20 points on 7/16 shooting, going 2/4 from the outside while hauling in 13 rebounds for another double-double on the season. Vlajkovic also earned two assists, a block, and a steal in a 79-78 win over Nichols College. To close out the regular season, the Melrose, Massachusetts, native picked up 24 points on 10/17 shooting while picking up nine rebounds in a dominant road victory over Johnson & Wales University. The senior added three assists in the win, closing the regular season by averaging 15.0 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game, a double-double. 

The Western New England women's wrestling team returns to the mat on Thursday, March 5 – Sunday, March 8, in Coralville, Iowa, for the NCAA National Championships, where Ripley, Williams, and six others will compete. WNE men's ice hockey's season wrapped up with six victories on the year, including the one in Marcoux's final regular-season game with WNE. Western New England men's basketball will host a CNE semifinal game on Friday, February 28, at 7:00 PM inside the Anthony S. Caprio Alumni Healthful Living Center.