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 and women’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
Dom Aguilar, Senior, Minnesota Morris Cougars
Fergus Falls, Minn. / Fergus Falls
- Aguilar finished the week with a 24-point performance against Crown and a 25-point performance in the Cougars' rematch against Northwestern to average 24.5 ppg. He also totaled up 8 rebounds (7 def.) and added five assists.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Maddy Grove, Sophomore, Minnesota Morris Cougars
Morris, Minn. / Morris Area
- Grove averaged an astounding 24 points and 10 rebounds per game for the Cougars this week, showcasing her ability to finish at the rim and shoot the three ball.
MEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Jesse Ortiz, Freshman, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Medford, Minn. / Medford
- Ortiz garnered a 7.05 second preliminary round 60-meter dash time at the UWRF Winter Classic Saturday before running a 7.03 second race time to place second overall. Later he broke a school record in the 200-meter dash, winning the race in 23.57 seconds. Ortiz's mark in the 200-meters further solidifies his UMAC-leading time while still ranking 16th in the 60-meter dash across NCAA Division III.
WOMEN'S TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Ruth Brueckner, Junior, Crown Polars
Swanton, Vt. / Homeschool
- Brueckner led the Polars to 1st place finishes in the DMR and the 4x800m relay with times of 12:32.92 (1st in the UMAC) and 9:46.33 at the NCCAA Indoor Championships. She also finished the 800m with a time of 2:25.03 good for 3rd in the UMAC.
MEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
R.J. Perry, Sophomore, Martin Luther Knights
Bruce, S.D. / Great Plains Lutheran
- On Saturday, Perry took first in the shot put throw at the Carleton Meet of Hearts. The sophomore thrower broke an MLC Indoor record in the event with a mark of 14.48 meters. Perry followed that up with a sixth-place finish in the weight throw (12.15 meters).
WOMEN'S FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Stephanie Witbrod, Senior, Bethany Lutheran Vikings
Douglas, Wyo. / Douglas
- Witbrod had a solid weekend for the Vikings at the Carleton Meet of the Hearts. The senior finished first in the shot put with a toss of 12.54m while also taking second in the triple jump with a mark of 10.40m. Both distances are second best in the conference this season behind only her own season-bests from earlier in the year.
MEN’S TENNIS NORTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Igor Guetten Chaves, Junior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil / Colégio Adventista
- Guetten Chaves emerged victorious in both his singles and doubles matches Sunday against St. Norbert College. Alongside Vitor Sakakibara, the tandem defeated their counterparts at No. 2 doubles 6-2. Guetten Chaves, slotted at the top spot for singles play, defeated Brett Daniels in straight-set scores of 6-3, 6-3.
WOMEN’S TENNIS NORTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Claudia Curtis, Sophomore, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Lake Mills, Wis. / Lake Mills
- Curtis enjoyed a fine weekend at the Green Bay Tennis Center. On Saturday her and Brooke Wilfong won 6-4 at No. 2 doubles before winning her singles match at the third spot 7-6 (7-2), 6-0 against the Vikings of Augustana College. Sunday's action saw her team up with Giulia Araujo De Barros and take down St. Norbert College 6-3 before garnering another win at No. 3 singles 6-1, 6-2. Curtis's efforts helped Superior extend their winning streak to six matches, which dates back to Oct. 19.
MEN’S TENNIS SOUTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Clark Kent, Senior, Greenville Panthers
Berger, Mo. / Crosspoint Christian
- Kent went undefeated this week in singles at the #5 position, and went 2-1 in doubles at the #3 position. Kent started the weekend defeating Transylvania in straight sets, 6-0, 7-6. Kent then earned a close 3-set victory over Ohio Northern University, 7-5, 5-7, 1-0 (8). Finishing the weekend matches against Anderson University, Kent rolled to a 6-4, 6-2 win. In doubles action, Kent paired with Jean Sanabria to defeat Transylvania 6-3 to help Greenville earn the doubles point, and then combined with Jade Dynamic to earn a 6-3 victory over Anderson.
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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