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 cross country, football, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, and volleyball. The awards are nominated by UMAC coaches and athletics communications staff and selected each week by the latter group.
Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Maverick Hoogland, Jr, UW-Superior
Catawba, Wis./Phillips
Hoogland led the Yellowjackets during the St. Olaf Invitational this Saturday, coming in with a race time of 26:33.5. This time serves as a new 8k personal best for Hoogland.
Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Natalie Van De Riet, Sr, Northwestern
Albertville, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville
Van De Riet collected a personal best and finished 6th in the 6K race at the Toni St. Pierre against a stacked MIAC field. Her time of 22:46.2 is over a minute faster than her previous PR.
Football Offensive Athlete of the Week
Sean-Keley Chinanga, Jr, Minnesota Morris, RB
Woodbury, Minn./East Ridge
Chinganga helped lead the Cougars to their first win of the season (30-28) against Buena Vista, as he scored the game winning touchdown. Chinanga totaled 92 yards rushing for the Cougars, averaging 5.1 yards per attempt with a long of 16 yards. He found the back of the end zone twice, one receiving and one rushing. In the final two minutes of the game, Chinanga caught a pass at the five-yard line and got in the endzone for the go-ahead TD.
Football Defensive Athlete of the Week
Nathan Tomlinson, Jr, Crown, DB
Blanco, Texas/Blanco
Tomlinson was all over the field on Saturday, leading Crown's defense in giving up just 9 points in a 13-9 win. He finished with 16 total tackles, 9 of them being solo tackles. He also broke up two passes, one of them preventing a touchdown.
Football Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Damaris Fields, Fr, Minnesota Morris, DB
Sioux Falls, S.D./Jefferson
Fields recorded two blocked kicks. In the final minute, Buena Vista was lining up for the walk off field goal. Fields got to the ball for the second time in the game sealing the first win of the season for Minnesota Morris 30-28. Fields also added four tackles and one pass break up.
Men’s Golf Athlete of the Week
Andrew Slatten, So, UW-Superior
Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing
Slatten was the top finisher at the Twin Ports Collegiate this past weekend, shooting a two-under 70 on day one before logging a 73 on day two for individual medalist honors.
Women’s Golf Athlete of the Week
Abby Schintz, Jr, UW-Superior
Duluth, Minn./Duluth East
Schintz made history for the Yellowjackets this past weekend at the Twin Ports Collegiate. She led the way with an opening round of 76 before breaking her own record for lowest single round on Sunday, firing a two-under 69 for second place on the individual leaderboard. As a team, the 'Jackets shot a program lowest collective round on Sunday with a 312.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week
David Ajayi, Jr, North Central, M/F
Burnsville, Minn./
Ajayi had 3 goals in two games this week.
Men’s Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week
Brady Price, Sr, Bethany Lutheran, GK
Grand Forks, N.D./Red River
Price allowed just one goal and made eight saves in 180 minutes of play as Bethany defeated UM-Morris and Northwestern-St. Paul to open the UMAC schedule. Price made five saves in the win over UM-Morris and then another three to earn a shutout at Northwestern.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week
Layla Kerr, Jr, Crown, M
Barigadda Heights, Guam/Homeschooled
Kerr had a hat trick, scoring all three of Crown's goals at Martin Luther on Wednesday. She did this on 6 shots, 5 of them on goal.
Women’s Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week
Rachel Fuller, Sr, Crown, GK
Becker, Minn./Becker
Fuller tallied 16 total saves in two games last week to open UMAC play, including 10 saves on Wednesday against Martin Luther.
Volleyball Offensive Athlete of the Week
Ana Egge, Jr, Northwestern, OH
Rapid City, S.D./Rapid City Christian
Egge added 48 more kills (4.8 per set) to her hot start this season, leading UNW to a 2-1 week at the St. Kate's Quad, which included an upset sweep of No. 7 Juniata. Her 4.69 kills per set this season are tied for 3rd in all of NCAA Division III. The junior also totaled 2 aces and 27 digs on the week (2.7 per set), and put up a pair of double-doubles, notably 21 kills and 10 digs against St. Kate's. The lone loss was to No. 1 UW-Oshkosh, in which the Eagles lost the 3 sets by a combined 7 points.
Volleyball Defensive Athlete of the Week
Savanna Hering, Jr, UW-Superior, L/DS
Superior, Wis./Superior
Hering led the Yellowjackets at the Stinger Classic this past weekend, collecting 6.59 digs per set and a total of 112 across four matches. She paced the 'Jackets to a 3-1 record.
Volleyball Setter of the Week
Sella Fleming, Fy, Minnesota Morris
Hawley, Minn./Hawley
Fleming continues to impress in her first season with the Cougars totaling 101 assists over the three-match weekend. The first-year setter recorded 37 assists in a three-match win against Martin Luther College then assisted on 37 points against in the five-set match against Concordia College. Fleming also added, 34 digs, 10 kills, two blocks, and two service aces.