Csiki-Fejer, Balestra Collect GNAC Athlete of the Week Nods

WINTHROP, Mass. – Matyas Csiki-Fejer and Michael Balestra of the Suffolk men's indoor track & field team each grabbed athlete of the week nods after standout showings at New Englands over the weekend. Csiki-Fejer was tabbed GNAC Track Athlete of the Week, while Balestra brought up GNAC Field Athlete of the Week, the league office announced Monday afternoon. 

Csiki-Fejer, who was the first-ever Rams' male student-athlete to reach regionals, became the first to compete in New Englands twice in program history. Running the 3K at the event for the first time his career, the sophomore from Saint Louis, Missouri, was one place outside All-New England honors with a ninth-place finish with a time of 8:44.61. He was just 1.16 seconds behind eight-place performer Ajay Sarathy of Amherst. 

Balestra made his regional debut last weekend as the first-ever Rams' fielder to do so in program's history. His 14.96-meter toss was good for 12th, with the sophomore four places shy of all-region honors. 

Balestra has been no stranger to conference weekly recognition as he is the only student-athlete in the league's history to be named the best field athlete over a seven-day stretch since the awards were handed out. This week's nod is his fourth. Csiki-Fejer, meanwhile, took home his third recognition of the year. Overall, Suffolk has 13 weekly honors this year with Connor Baston with five of his own, one track athlete and four rookie of the weeks, and Cole Bolduc being named rookie of the week once. 

Two weeks removed from nationals, Suffolk looks to better its scores and times at Tufts' Last Chance Qualifier this Saturday, March 7.