ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced their Athlete of the Week award winners Tuesday in the sports of men's and women's basketball and men’s and women’s track and field. The awards are nominated by UMAC coaches and athletics communications staff and selected each week by the latter group.
MEN'S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Drew Sagedahl, Senior, Bethany Lutheran Vikings
Olivia, Minn. / BOLD
- Sagedahl had a strong week for the Vikings in leading them to two wins averaging 26.5 points per game. The senior scored 26 and added seven rebounds in Wednesday's win over Crown before putting up 27 on just 10-of-11 shooting in Saturday's win against Northland.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Kaitlyn VanderPloeg, Senior, North Central Rams
Clear Lake, Iowa / Clear Lake
- VanderPloeg had a career week, averaging 25 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3 blocks. She also scored her 1,000th career point in the Ram's first conference win over Crown on Saturday.
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Earl Foster, Senior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Forest Lake, Minn. / Spectrum
- Foster placed second overall in the 60-meter hurdles Saturday at the Twin Ports Open. He ran an 8.66 second race, still leading the UMAC rankings. Furthermore, Foster won the 200-meter hurdles in 25.39 seconds, establishing a new UW-Superior record.
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Simone Stephens, Sophomore, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Scottsdale, Ariz. / Saguaro
- Stephens ran the mile this weekend at the Twin Ports Open. She logged a time of 5:21.5, claiming third place while setting a new conference-leading mark.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Alexander Burnham, Sophomore, Crown Polars
New Prague, Minn. / New Prague
- Burnham set a school record in the shotput with a distance of 14.13m which lands him first in the UMAC. He set another school record in the weight throw with a distance of 12.98m currently 3rd in the UMAC at the Ole Opener.
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Bel Dimaze, Freshman, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Monticello, Minn. / Spectrum
- Dimaze logged her first collegiate win in just her second collegiate meet over the weekend. Competing at the Twin Ports Open Saturday, she won the high jump with a leap of 1.51 meters. This not only sets a conference-leading jump, but it sets a new personal-best mark for Dimaze.
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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