10/29/2026 3:54:00 PM | Football, Women's Tennis, Office of Student-Athlete Success
BUFFALO, NY – The Mid-American Conference announced the winners of its weekly Scholar Athlete Award with University at Buffalo senior running back Messiah Burch named Male Scholar Athlete of the Week and women's tennis junior Sarah Hartel earning Female Athlete of the Week honors.
Burch earns the honor for the second time in three weeks after being named MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week following a standout performance in which he rushed for a career-high 184 yards and three touchdowns in Buffalo's 31-24 win over Bowling Green. The senior running back scored on touchdown runs of 11, 2 and 73 yards. His 73-yard touchdown came in the fourth quarter to extend the Buffalo lead to 10-points and ice the game for the Bulls. It was Burch's fifth straight 100-yard rushing game – becoming the first UB running back since All-American Jaret Patterson in 2019 to rush for 100 yards in five straight games.
Hartel receives the recognition for the first time after winning the singles title at the MAC Fall Championship this weekend, defeating her teammate Aleksandra Kachushkina in straight sets in the championship match on Sunday. With the performance, both Hartel and Kachushkina qualify for the ITA Conference Masters Tournament in November. It is the first time in program history that the Bulls have qualified for the national tournament.
The Scholar Athlete of the Week Award is presented to a MAC male and/or female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's competition. An institution can nominate up to one male and one female student-athlete per week in any of that current season's sports. The winners are selected by a representative of the MAC's Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs).
Burch earns the honor for the second time in three weeks after being named MAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week following a standout performance in which he rushed for a career-high 184 yards and three touchdowns in Buffalo's 31-24 win over Bowling Green. The senior running back scored on touchdown runs of 11, 2 and 73 yards. His 73-yard touchdown came in the fourth quarter to extend the Buffalo lead to 10-points and ice the game for the Bulls. It was Burch's fifth straight 100-yard rushing game – becoming the first UB running back since All-American Jaret Patterson in 2019 to rush for 100 yards in five straight games.
Hartel receives the recognition for the first time after winning the singles title at the MAC Fall Championship this weekend, defeating her teammate Aleksandra Kachushkina in straight sets in the championship match on Sunday. With the performance, both Hartel and Kachushkina qualify for the ITA Conference Masters Tournament in November. It is the first time in program history that the Bulls have qualified for the national tournament.
The Scholar Athlete of the Week Award is presented to a MAC male and/or female student-athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's competition. An institution can nominate up to one male and one female student-athlete per week in any of that current season's sports. The winners are selected by a representative of the MAC's Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs).
Players Mentioned
Tuesday, May 20
Monday, February 03
Tuesday, October 15
Monday, May 13
