ST. PAUL, Minn. - The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) announced their Athlete of the Week award winners Tuesday in the sports of baseball, softball, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track & field, 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.
BASEBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Bryan Gerbers, Sophomore, Crown Polars
De Pere, Wis. / De Pere High
- Gerbers totaled 11 RBI on the week hitting 2 doubles, 1 home run, with an average of .467.
BASEBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Sean Gamble, Junior, Bethany Lutheran Vikings
Denton, Texas / MSU-Mankato
- Gamble picked up the win Saturday in game two against Northwestern with a dominant effort on the mound. The junior allowed just five hits in the contest, throwing seven shutout innings and striking out 10 batters.
SOFTBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Ellie Macal, Senior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Winona, Minn. / Cotter
- Macal couldn't be denied in the Yellowjackets' series with Minnesota Morris over the weekend. At the plate she was a perfect 8-8, clubbing two homers and two doubles while scoring five runs and driving in six in a sweep of the Cougars. She leads UWS in batting average (.544), home runs (five), RBIs (35) and on-base percentage (.606).
SOFTBALL PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Bella Garley, Sophomore, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Albuquerque, N.M. / Porter (Tex.)
- Garley dominated in the circle this weekend for the Yellowjackets, as they played host to the Cougars of Minnesota Morris. Friday she drew a start and pitched four innings of shutout softball, surrendering just two hits and striking out four. Saturday she came in relief and pitched another four shutout innings while striking out two. Garley picked up two wins on the weekend, bringing her record to 11-4 on 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 was dialed in this weekend as Superior hosted Northwestern in their first outdoor match of the spring. At the first singles position he took down his Eagles counterpart 6-2, 6-2, while defeating UNW in doubles alongside Vitor Sakakibara by a 6-4 decision, leading the charge in a 7-0 sweep.
WOMEN’S TENNIS NORTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Elif Oezen, Freshman, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Rheda-Wiedenbrueck, Germany / Einstein Gymnasium
- Oezen collected her fifth singles victory in a row this weekend, taking on Northwestern in UMAC play. She defeated Paige Johnson at the No. 2 spot 6-2, 6-1, after teaming up with Brooke Wilfong to take down their Eagles counterparts 6-0 at the third doubles position.
MEN’S TENNIS SOUTH DIVISION ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Andres Sanchez, Senior, Greenville Panthers
Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico / Instituto Andes de Tuxtla
- Andres Sanchez helped lead the charge for the Panthers in their win against Principia College by winning 6-1 at the #2 doubles position and then 6-2, 6-2 at the #1 singles position.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Andrew Deedon, Sophomore, Crown Polars
Boise, Idaho / Centennial
- Deedon took first in the 3000m steeplechase at the Carleton Relays with a time of 10:2.07 good for 1st in the UMAC. He also ran in the 800m.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Brycelyn Brewster, Junior, North Central Rams
Burnsville, Minn. / United Christian Academy
- Brewster won the women’s 400m dash at the Gustie Twilight meet with a personal best time of 1:00.22. This currently leads the UMAC and sets a new NCU program record.
MEN’S OUTDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Isaac Weiers, Senior, North Central Rams
Neillsville, Wis. / Neillsville
- Weiers won the men’s high jump at the Gustie Twilight meet with a new meet record of 2.04m. This mark is currently 2nd best in the UMAC, #16 in all of NCAA Division III, and a new NCU program record.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR FIELD ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Hannah Hutton, Freshman, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Spooner, Wis. / Spooner
- Hutton collected another PR in the pole vault this weekend at the Maverick Open. Her new high-water mark now stands at 3.07 meters, which not only leads the rest of the league, but is the first leap over ten feet in the UMAC this season.
MEN'S GOLF ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Conner Willard, Senior, UW-Superior Yellowjackets
Hibbing, Minn. / Hibbing
- Willard competed in both days for the Yellowjackets at the Forester Spring Invite this past weekend. The opening round saw him fire a round of even par (72) with four birdies, and Saturday's scorecard saw him fire a two-over 74 to claim a share of 26th place out of over 100 golfers.
WOMEN'S GOLF ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
Morgan Eckman, Sophomore, Northwestern Eagles
Jordan, Minn. / Jordan
- Eckman led UNW to a 4th-place finish at Bethel's Rumble at the Ridge event on Saturday while earning a 4th-place finish of her own, individually. The sophomore carded 2 birdies and fired a 77 (+5).
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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