NEW HAVEN, Conn. – Sophomore Erica Ridella (Warwick, N.Y.) of the women's soccer team and senior Luke Houston (Pearl River, N.Y.) of the men's basketball team have been named as the Connecticut Army National Guard/Southern Connecticut State University Athletes of the Week.
Ridella played a pivotal role in helping the Owls claim the 2014 ECAC Division II Championship over the weekend. She entered Southern's semifinal contest over Newberry College at the start of the second half and stopped all four shots on goal she saw to earn the victory. The following afternoon, Ridella made six saves during regulation and overtime in the ECAC final against Adelphi. However, she turned away four shots during penalty kicks – one that kept that Owls' alive down 4-3, and then three in a row to end the session – to allow SCSU to win the title, 6-5.
Houston put together a career-best weekend to help the No. 2 nationally ranked Owls collect a pair of victories. In total, he averaged 30.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in Southern's wins over Dowling and Bridgeport. Houston also shot 61-percent from the floor (20-of-33) and 60-percent (12-of-20) from behind the arc in the two games. He opened the year with a career-high 32 points on 11-of-17 shooting with seven rebounds in the win over Dowling. Houston followed that up with 29 points, including seven three-pointers, and eight rebounds in the win over Bridgeport.
The Connecticut Army National Guard is serving as the title sponsor of Southern Connecticut State University's 'Athlete of the Week' recognition program. Initiated in September, 2007, the 'Athlete of the Week' program recognizes one female and one male student-athlete each week for demonstrated excellence on the playing field.
