ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced its Player of the Week award winners Monday in the sports of men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track, and men’s and women’s indoor field. The UMAC Player of the Week awards are nominated by UMAC coaches and athletics communications/sports information staff and selected each week by the latter group.
MEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Hunter Nielsen, Senior, Bethany Lutheran College
New Prague, Minn. / New Prague
- Nielsen played hero against UW-La Crosse as he tipped in a buzzer beater to defeat the Eagles 68-67.
- The senior dominated from start to finish, putting up game-highs in points (19), rebounds (15), and blocks (3).
- The 15 rebounds is also a new career high for Nielsen.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Maddy Grove, Freshman, University of Minnesota Morris
Morris, Minn. / Morris Area
- Grove scored 32 points to lead Minnesota Morris to a 65-53 win over Valley City State on Tuesday night.
- She made 10-of-16 from the field including a perfect 3-for-3 from three-point range.
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Aaron Stewart, Freshman, Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, Minn. / Mankato East
- Stewart broke Bethany Lutheran school records in both the 60m with a time of 7.05 and the 200m with a 22.31.
- His 200 time would have been the fastest in the UMAC last season by nearly half a second and it currently sits 13th nationally.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Chloe Kuhlman, Senior, Bethany Lutheran College
Watertown, S.D. / Great Plains Lutheran
- Kuhlman finished first among Bethany Lutheran runners in the mile on Saturday with a time of 5:58.56.
- That mark topped all of her mile times last year by over five seconds.
MEN’S INDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Matthew Strom, Sophomore, Bethany Lutheran College
Mankato, Minn. / Mankato East
- Strom set a new career best in the pole vault this weekend at MSU-Mankato, tallying a mark of 3.46m at the event.
WOMEN’S INDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Cassidy Gibson, Freshman, Bethany Lutheran College
Decatur, Ga. / DeKalb
- Gibson competed in her first collegiate action this weekend and posted a mark in the high jump of 1.55m.
- That is the third best mark in program history and is the top jump in the UMAC in indoor since 2020.