ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners Tuesday in the sports of football, volleyball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, and men's and women's golf. The awards are nominated by UMAC coaches and athletics communications staff and selected each week by the latter group.
FOOTBALL OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Izayah Boss, Senior, Minnesota Morris Cougars
Bothell, Wash. / North Creek
- Boss rushed for 257 yards in 24 attempts against Hamline University, scoring two touchdowns.
FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Thomas Balge, Junior, Martin Luther Knights
New Ulm, Minn. / Luther Prep
- Balge had his second consecutive double-digit tackle game to start the 2024 season, as the safety recorded 10 tackles to help MLC defeat Macalester on the road on Saturday. The Knights took down the Scots in a 10-7 defensive battle under the lights and Balge also grabbed his second interception of the young season.
FOOTBALL SPECIAL TEAMS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Luke Miller, Senior, Greenville Panthers
Dayton, Tenn. / Rhea County
- Miller average 38.8 per punt on five punts in a 27-7 win for Greenville over Eureka.
VOLLEYBALL OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Abby Glanzer, Senior, Northwestern Eagles
Brandon, S.D. / Sioux Falls Christian
- Glanzer was on fire this past weekend as the Eagle’s faced off against three nationally ranked teams, ending with 51 kills total in the 3 games played. In the match against #12 Gustavus Adolphus College, she ended with 19 kills with a hitting percentage of .341 to go along with 17 digs and 7 blocks. She tallied 42 digs, 2 aces, and 11 blocks on the weekend in total.
VOLLEYBALL SETTER OF THE WEEK
Abby Distad, Freshman, Bethany Lutheran Vikings
Kasson, Minn. / Kasson-Mantorville
- Distad had a huge week quarterbacking the Viking attack, posting 98 assists over the course of three matches. The freshman matched a career high with 33 assists against Gustavus on Tuesday before setting a new career best mark on Saturday when she posted 36 in a three-set sweep of Luther.
VOLLEYBALL DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jenna Anderson, Senior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Bemidji, Minn. / Bemidji
- Anderson continues to lead the defensive efforts for the Yellowjackets. Entering in the Macalester Tournament over the weekend, she scooped 107 digs across four matches, aiding the 'Jackets to a 3-1 record over the weekend. UWS has entered three tournaments so far in 2024, and Anderson has averaged nearly 100 digs in each weekend.
MEN'S SOCCER OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Simeon Friesen, Sophomore, Northwestern Eagles
Mounds View, Minn. / Homeschool
- Friesen scored 2 goals in a 2-2 draw at St. Scholastica, including a dramatic equalizer in the 80th minute. He finished the game with 4 shots and 3 shots on goal.
MEN'S SOCCER DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Trystin Procyk, Freshman, North Central Rams
Hamilton, Ontario / Bishop Ryan Catholic
- Procyk posted a shutout win in his first-ever career start in net. The freshman reeled in 4 saves on the 7 shots he faced and remains with a perfect 1.000 save percentage.
WOMEN'S SOCCER OFFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Megan Kohrt, Senior, Northwestern Eagles
Monona, Wis. / Homeschool
- Kohrt had the game of a lifetime in Wednesday's 3-3 draw vs. Bethel. The captain put up a hat trick, including equalizers in the 79th and 89th minutes, to pull off a dramatic draw. The senior finished the game with 8 shots, 4 SOG and 3 goals, and added another SOG on Saturday at St. Olaf.
WOMEN'S SOCCER DEFENSIVE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Maria Vik, Freshman, Martin Luther Knights
Fort Atkinson, Wis. / Lakeside Lutheran
- Vik recorded a shutout in the Knights' 1-0 win against Minnesota Morris on Thursday. In the shutout, Vik also grabbed 13 saves after the Cougars fired off 21 shots.
MEN’S CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Austin Carlson, Senior, Crown Polars
Montrose, Minn. / Delano
- Carlson ran an impressive 6k time of 19:27.4 at the Dragons Twilight placing 32nd in a tight competition with teams from all divisions.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Ella Dufault, Sophomore, Crown Polars
Scottsdale, Ariz. / Saguaro
- Dufault finished with a time of 18:47.1 earning an 11th place finish in the women's 5k at stacked event with stiff competition the Dragons Twilight. The only runners finishing ahead of her were University of North Dakota and Valley City State runners.
MEN'S GOLF ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Nate Burke, Senior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Duluth, Minn. / Denfeld
- Burke dominated the course over the last week. Seeing action at the UMAC Preview Thursday, Burke finished the day with a one-over 73, ending in a tie of first place. Heading into a playoff hole to determine the individual medalist, he sunk a putt that caught just enough of the right edge of the cup, emerging as the top finisher of the event. Entering Saturday's first round of the Frank Wrigglesworth Invite, Burke spearheaded the Yellowjackets with a four-over 75, sitting in a tie of 11th place. His last four holes resulted in three birdies, ending round one on a high note.
WOMEN'S GOLF ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Shelby Cash, Sophomore, Crown Polars
Clovis, Calif. / Clovis
- Cash won the UMAC preview with a score of 83 (+11) and showed up down the stretch of her round finishing with three straight par's to earn the top spot.
The UMAC is an NCAA Division III member comprised of eight full-time member schools from Minnesota and Wisconsin: Bethany Lutheran College, Crown College, Martin Luther College, North Central University, Northland College, University of Minnesota Morris, University of Northwestern, and University of Wisconsin-Superior.
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