POUGHKEEPSIE, NY (September 14, 2009) – Three freshmen Vassar athletes showed they possess a mixture of speed, finesse, agility and considerable talent this past week and the Liberty League made sure all three performers who represent men's and women's cross country and women's volleyball were aptly honored.

On Monday, the Liberty League announced its weekly award recipients and the Brewers had repeat winners in men's country country runner Yaron Teich and women's volleyball setter Hilary Koenigs. Earning the award for the first time was fellow freshman Kelly Holmes from women's cross country.

Yaron Teich, Freshman, Men's Cross Country Co-Rookie of the Week
The freshman continues to perform like an upperclassman, finishing fourth out of 55 runners at the Hamilton Short Course Invitational. Teich was Vassar's second overall finisher with a 19:45.5 effort in the 6k race, propelling the Brewers to the overall team championship. Over the same distance, Teich shaved 1:03 off his previous 6k time and it was the second straight week that Teich was able to lead VC to an Invitational title. A 2009 graduate of Walter Johnson High Schoo, Teich lettered four letters in cross country. He was named All-Conference and Third Team All-Maryland in 2008. His team was undefeated in Maryland during his final year and has a senior he finished 9th at Montgomery County Championships and Maryland State Championships.

Kelly Holmes, Freshman, Women's Cross Country Rookie of the Week
Holmes was the first freshman finisher and 11th finisher overall in a 73 competitor field at the Hamilton Short Course Invitational. She completed the 4k race in 16:04.8 and her near-top ten performance -- only two seconds from cracking the top ten -- led Vassar to a second place finish in the five team field. A 2009 graduate of Ridgefield High School, Holmes earned four letters in cross country. She was named All-Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference (FCIAC) her junior year, and Second-Team All-FCIAC her sophomore and senior years. Holmes' high school team won FCIAC Championships twice, and was Connecticut class LL runner-up in 2006.

Hilary Koenigs, Freshman, Women's Volleyball, Rookie of the Week
Koenigs recorded back-to-back 30 plus assist efforts. She set a career-high 34 against Sage and followed that effort with 31 against Montclair State. She averaged 10.83 assists per set for the 4-0 Brewers who have yet to drop a set this season. In addition to her setting Koenigs added four kills, three service aces and 11 digs in the two Vassar victories. A 2009 graduate of Lewis and Clark High School, Holmes earned three varsity letters in volleyball. She was named All-Greater Spokane League honorable mention her sophomore year and earned First-Team honors as a senior. She was a Second-Team All-State selection as a senior. 

Both Teich and Holmes won't race again until September 25 at the Stevens Invitational in Hoboken. Koenigs and the 4-0 women's volleyball team will be back in action on September 18-19 at the Union Invitational. Vassar meets Sage College at 4:00 p.m. and Oswego State at 6:00 p.m.