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, men’s and women’s track and field, and men’s tennis. 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
Jax Madson, Senior, Bethany Lutheran Vikings
Mankato, Minn. / Mankato East
- Madson led the Vikings to pair of conference wins this week, averaging 28.5 points per game. The senior posted a massive night in Wednesday's two-point win over MLC, scoring 37 points on 14-of-20 shooting including 6-of-11 from long range while adding five rebounds and four assists. The 37 points were the most scored in a game by a Viking player since the 2015-16 season. He followed that up with 20 points in Saturday's 104-92 win over North Central, adding eight rebounds and three assists.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Elise Besonen, Senior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Ewen, Mich. / Ewen-Trout Creek
- Besonen compiled 62 points in last week's UMAC contests. Against Northwestern she set a new career-high in scoring with 32 points, shooting 59 percent from the field to lead the 'Jackets to victory. She would spearhead the Yellowjackets at home against Minnesota Morris Saturday, scoring 30 points and shooting 63 percent from midrange to pace Superior to two more conference wins.
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Austin Carlson, Senior, Crown Polars
Montrose, Minn. / Delano
- Carlson leads the UMAC in the 800m and the 1 Mile Run after an excellent showing at the St. Olaf Invite and Multi. He took 8th in the 800m run and took 1st in the Mile Run with adjusted times of 1:59.96 and 4:27.5.
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jemimah Habben, Freshman, Martin Luther Knights
Flagstaff, Ariz. | Luther Prep
- Habben continued her impressive start to the season by breaking the MLC school record in the 5K on Friday evening. Habben finished with a time of 18:54.17 that put her in 20th out of 35 runners that included student-athletes from D-I and D-II schools. Additionally, Habben also claimed third in the 800 meter (2:28.57).
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Steven Petkau, Senior, Crown Polars
Rib Lake, Wis. / Rib Lake
- Petkau sits in 2nd in the UMAC in the triple jump after a third-place finish at the St. Olaf Invite and Multi with a distance of 12.69m.
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Joyce Horton, Freshman, North Central Rams
Rosemount, Minn. / United Christian Academy
- Joyce shined at the Jack Johnson Invite, setting two school records and placing top 10 in all three of her events - High Jump: 1.45m (NCU record, 3rd in UMAC, 8th overall), 60m Hurdles: 10.06 sec (NCU record, 4th in UMAC, 9th overall), Triple Jump: 10.00m (3rd in UMAC, 6th overall).
MEN’S TENNIS NORTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Mateo Abarca Pino, Junior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Riobamba, Ecuador / El Despertar
- The Yellowjackets opened the second half of their season over the weekend, taking on Carroll and UW-Whitewater. Friday saw Abarca Pino duke it out in doubles play with Brandon Chu, and earned a 7-6 (7-5) victory.
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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