TROY, N.Y. – The Liberty League has announced its weekly award winners in men's and women's lacrosse and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athletes Bryant Johnson, James Manchester and Alissa Peterson have been recognized. Johnson was named the Offensive Performer of the Week, while Manchester garnered Rookie of the Week for the fifth time this season. Peterson also garnered her sixth Rookie of the Week honor on the women's side.

Johnson, a senior from Minnetonka, Minn., scored a game-high four goals, including two in the fourth quarter, as #15 RPI defeated Union, 12-7, to win the Liberty League regular season title and secure the tournament's top seed. He also had a game-high nine shots with four of those going on goal.

In 14 games this season, including five as a starter, Johnson has notched a team-high 26 goals with three assists for 29 points. In addition to leading the squad in shots on goal (52) and game-winning tallies (2), he has scooped up 22 ground balls, scored twice on the man-up and has caused a turnover. Johnson has also gone 4-of-9 in face-offs this season.

A former standout at The Blake School, Johnson is among the Liberty League leaders in a number of categories, including fourth in goals and game-winning markers.

Manchester, who is a freshman out of Niskayuna, N.Y., backstopped his team to a win over the Dutchmen last week, posting 13 saves, including five critical stops in the fourth quarter. He also recorded a game-best five ground balls in earning his 12th victory of the season.

The former Niskayuna High School has started all 14 games this season, posting a 12-2 record while going 6-0 in the Liberty League. He is currently ranked second in the nation in goals against average (5.70) and is 11th overall in save percentage (.633). Also ranked second in the Liberty League in both goals against average and save percentage, Manchester has now garnered weekly honors seven times this season, including twice as the conference's Defensive Performer of the Week.

Peterson, a freshman from Gaithersburg, Md., helped RPI to victory in its only game last week - a 15-8 win over Rochester. She tallied three goals, including her team-leading 31st of the season, while adding an assist. Peterson also had four shots (all on goal) with a ground ball, two draw controls and a caused turnover.

A graduate of Quince Orchard High School, Peterson is second on the team in scoring with 31 goals and nine assists for 40 points. A starter in all 13 games, she leads the team in goals, ground balls (39), free position goals (7-of-13) and caused turnovers (15), while also adding 18 draw controls.

The men's lacrosse team (12-2; 6-0 LL) earned the top-seed in the Liberty League Tournament and will host fourth-seeded St. Lawrence University in the semifinals on Friday at East Campus Stadium (4pm). The women's lacrosse team (8-5; 5-3 LL), which secured its first-ever berth into the Liberty League Tournament last weekend as the fourth-seed, will face the top-seed and tournament host, Hamilton on Friday (2:30pm).