BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – Freshman Mark Bence's Homecoming heroics this past Saturday earned him the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Newcomer of the Week award on Monday afternoon, with the midfielder being recognized as the top first-season performer in the conference last week. It is the first award of Bence's collegiate career and the second straight week that a Geneva player has received the honor.

Bence scored three goals in total for the Golden Tornadoes last week. He notched his first career goal in Geneva's 12-0 drubbing of Saint Francis on Wednesday, but the real highlight of his week came in Saturday's Homecoming match versus Saint Vincent. After the men fell down 1-0 early to the Bearcats, Bence evened the score with a goal in the 37^th minute, putting the ball into the net on a back post run off a cross from fellow freshman Lucas Albani. The midfielder then scored the go-ahead goal, and the eventual game-winner, when he finished off a pass into the box by junior Luke Main early in the second half.

In addition to his three goals, Bence took five total shots across the two matches. He scored on all three of his shots on target.

The Golden Tornadoes are on the road for their next match, traveling to Thiel College on Wednesday, October 14, for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff.

Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).