SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (September 14, 2026) – Three student-athletes from the Western New England women's soccer, men's golf, and men's cross country teams have earned honors as Golden Bear Athlete of the Week, providing big performances for their individual teams this past week. 

Women's soccer's Sophia Scyocurka provided a lift for the Blue and Gold in a 2-0 week, netting three goals and picking up an assist. The WNE sophomore opened the week with her first career multi-goal effort, scoring a hat trick in a 6-0 midweek victory over UMass-Dartmouth. Scyocurka scored goals on all three shots on goal, playing in 30 minutes of action in the victory. Scyocurka ended the week by picking up a point in WNE's 6-0 win over Nichols College, coming away with an assist and two shots, including one on goal, over 45 minutes of action, helping the Golden Bears to victory. 

Men's golf's Kyle Klimas finished in the top 25 in both tournaments to open the 2026 fall season this week. Klimas began the 2026 campaign with a 25^th-place finish at the AIC Invitational. Klimas shot a 73 (+1) on day one of the 54-hole round tournament, picking up seven pars, six bogeys, and five birdies for the round. In round two, Klimas shot a solid 78 (+6) overall, netting 11 pars, five bogeys, two double bogeys, and a birdie for the round. Klimas rounded out day two of the tournament with another 78 (+6), picking up 13 pars, four bogeys, and a double bogey at the event. Klimas played to a tenth-place finish at this weekend's Duke Nelson Invitational, opening day one with a 76 (+5), picking up eight pars, five bogeys, three birdies, and a double bogey for the round. Klimas finished Sunday's round with a 74 (+3), dropping 14 pars, three bogeys, and a birdie to finish the event just eight strokes over par total, tying for tenth place at the event. 

Men's cross country's Lucas Franco impressed in the second race of the season for the Golden Bears, coming away with a second-place finish at this past weekend's Elms College Blazer Classic. Franco ran the 8K event in 28:38, tops among the Golden Bears, helping WNE men's cross country come away with a first-place finish at the event overall. Franco secured his best finish in a cross country race in his young WNE career.