Brognano named to preseason A-A team

UTICA — SUNYIT basketball player and Rome Free Academy graduate Lyndsey Brognano has been named to the 2012-13 Division III News Preseason All-American team. The senior guard was one of 24 women selected from the country.

Brognano is coming off a junior season in which she was named the North Eastern Athletic Conference Player of the Year after guiding the Wildcats to program-best records of 15-2 in the NEAC and 21-4 overall.

The 5-foot-5 guard averaged 18.2 points on 47 percent shooting from the field — placing her third in the conference in both categories — while also ranking second in both 3-pointers made with 66, and 3-point percentage with a 37.7, and fifth in free throw percentage at 76.3. Brognano was twice named the NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week this season, and was also named to the All-Conference First Team.

Kieffer paces Utica to field hockey win

ITHACA — Rome Free Academy graduate and Utica College field hockey player Nikki Kieffer helped guide the Lady Pioneers to a 3-0 victory over Ithaca College during an Empire 8 match on Wednesday.

Kieffer, a 5-foot-7 sophomore defenseman, scored her first goal of the season during the second half while helping the Lady Pioneers’ defense preserve the shutout on the road.

Utica improved to 10-4 overall and 3-3 in the Empire 8. The team returns to action on Saturday as it travels to Houghton College for a 1 p.m. matchup.