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. 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
Kaden Pieper, Jr, Minnesota Morris, G
Belgrade, Minn./Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa
Pieper started conference play by dropping 45 points (second-most in program history) in the Cougars win at Martin Luther. The junior guard started the game scoring 27 points in the first half while shooting 5-for-5 from behind the arc. Pieper finished the game with 45 points, shooting 76.2 percent from the field, 5-for-8 from three, and 8-of-12 at the line, four rebounds, four steals, and two assists. To end the week, he added 19 points, three steals and one rebound against No.19 Gustavus Adolphus.
Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week
NiNi Davenport, Jr, North Central, G
Brandon, Fla./Seffner Christian Academy
Davenport averaged 21.5 points and seven three-pointers per game on 64 percent shooting from deep. The junior posted a new career-high with 34 points and 11 three-point field goals in a home win over Northwestern. She is currently tied for first in the conference in made threes on the year with 52.