Syracuse Orange News: Fadil Diggs has big honor, field hockey climbs, $2M gift to SU

In this latest spin around Syracuse Orange sports news, we start with star defensive end Fadil Diggs.

The 6-foot-5, 261-pound New Jersey native, who transferred for his senior year from Texas A&M to Syracuse football, made a huge impact last Friday night when the Orange defeated then-No. 25 UNLV by three points in overtime on the road.

Diggs, in that thrilling win for the 'Cuse, registered two sacks and six total tackles. For his performance, Diggs was named the Bronko Nagurski national defensive player of the week, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America, according to a press release.

As I noted in another column earlier this week, per the NCAA's Web site, Diggs is currently tied for No. 11 nationally in tackles for a loss per game, at 1.6. He's also tied for No. 22 nationwide in sacks per game, at .80.

More Syracuse Orange sports news to review.

Syracuse field hockey moves up in national poll
After tallying home victories against a pair of top-20 foes, the Orange moved up one spot to No. 14 overall in this week's Penn Monto/NFHCA Coaches poll. This weekend, the 'Cuse (8-3, 2-2 in the ACC) will host two Atlantic Coast Conference opponents.

This Friday, beginning at 4 pm, the Orange will battle Stanford. Then, on Sunday starting at noon, Syracuse field hockey will face No. 18 California. Both contests will be streamed live on the ACC Network Extra.

A beautiful gift to SU Athletics
A $2 million pledge from Edward "Ed" C. Magee to honor his dad will result in the dining hall in the One Team Olympic Sports Center being renamed Magee One Team Dining, according to a statement on cuse.com.

Magee says that his dad, Edward C. Magee Sr., turned him into a big Syracuse Orange sports fan at an early age. Ed Magee earned a bachelor's degree from Syracuse University in 1970 and an MBA from SU in 1972.

His dad graduated from 'Cuse in 1933 and completed his law degree at SU in 1936. Edward Magee Sr. passed away in 1989 at the age of 78. "My dad was serious about work, community, country and Syracuse University athletics," his son says.

A heartfelt thank you from Orange Nation to Ed Magee.

Syracuse cross-country teams hold steady in national poll
Per SU Athletics, both the women's and men's cross-country teams remained at No. 23 overall for the second-straight week, according to the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association ("USTFCCCA") poll. The 'Cuse is one of 16 programs around the country to have both its women's and men's teams nationally ranked.

Next up for the Orange are the Princeton Fall Classic in Princeton, N.J., on Friday, Oct. 18, and the Pre-Nationals in Madison, Wis., on Saturday, Oct. 19.