MIAA Announces Athletes of the Week for Oct. 24

Football

Defensive
Player of the Week

Aaron O'Meara, Hope

Senior, LB
Wyandotte, Mich.

• Led Hope in tackles with 13 in their 31-7 win over Trine Oct. 22

• Seven of his tackles were solo efforts; also aided the defense with 1.5 tackles for loss, including a sack

• Helped limit MIAA's top rushing team, and fifth-ranked rushing offense nationally, to just 76 yards on the ground

Offensive
Player of the Week

Braden Black, Olivet

Senior, QB
Harper Creek, Mich.

• Guided Olivet to a 54-48 overtime win against Benedictine (Ill.) Oct. 22, passing for 329 yards on 29-of-38 passing and three touchdowns

• Converted on key plays late in the game to not only tie the game, but help in the victory; his fourth-and-seven touchdown pass in the fourth quarter tied the game at 48-48, and then had a third-and-16 pass for a first-and-goal to set up the winning play

• Connected on a nine-yard pass in overtime for the game's decisive touchdown

• With his 398 total offensive yards, Black now has 10,135 career total offensive yards, becoming only the second player in MIAA history to eclipse 10,000 yards

Special Teams
Player of the Week

Darren Ford, Hope

Junior, K/P
Howell, Mich.

• Had six punts for Hope on special teams, helping flip the field with five landing inside the 20-yard line

• Averaged 35.5 yards per punt in Hope's 31-7 win over Trine Oct. 22, including a long of 49 yards

• Was perfect in kicking, scoring seven points on a field goal and went 4-for-4 in extra points

Volleyball

Player of the Week

 
Meaghan Gibbons, Saint Mary's

Senior, LS
Dallas, Texas 

• Averaged 3.9 kills per set for Saint Mary's during a 2-1 week to keep the Belles tied for third in MIAA standings

• Had three double-doubles for the week, including a 12-kill, 19-dig effort in win over Alma Oct. 21 to give Saint Mary's the regular season sweep over the Scots

• Hit .211 for the week with 35 kills, including a .321 attack percentage in win over Kalamazoo Oct. 18

• Added seven service aces and two blocks as a six rotation player

Specialist of the Week

Ami Milligan, Albion

Senior, S
Alpena, Mich.

• Helped Albion to a 3-0 week, including 2-0 against MIAA opponents, with three double-doubles

• Had a double-double of 34 assists (11.3 assists per set) and 16 digs (5.3 digs per set) in Albion's win over #9 Hope Oct. 18

• Surpassed her season average for digs and assists per set 

• Added four kills and four blocks in win over Olivet Oct. 21

Men's Soccer

Defensive
Player of the Week

Colin Howard, Albion

Senior, D
Portage, Mich.

• Assisted on Albion's game-winning goal at Hope Oct. 22

• Helped hold Hope to four shots on goal in the shutout victory

• Part of defense that allowed six shots on goal in loss to Alma Oct. 19

Offensive
Player of the Week

Erik Van Fossen, Albion

Sophomore, M
Muskegon, Mich.

• Scored Albion's game-winning goal at Hope Oct. 22 to move the Brits into fourth place in MIAA standings

• Finished the contest with two shots on goal

• Also had two shots in setback at Alma Oct. 19

Women's Soccer

Offensive
Player of the Week

Erin Brophy, Hope

Junior, F
West Lafayette, Ind. 

• Was a key factor in Hope's 2-0 week, scoring in both victories for the Dutch as the team remained alive in the chase for the regular-season title

• Scored the game-winning goal at Alma Oct. 22

• Shook the nets twice in home win over Olivet Oct. 19 for her first multi-goal game of the season

Men's Cross Country

Runner
of the Week

 
Jackson Kelly, Kalamazoo

Freshman
Grosse Ile, Mich. 

• Led the Hornets at the Eastern Michigan University Fall Classic 5K Oct. 21 with a 43rd-place finish 

• Crossed the line in 16:37.9, where he was only beaten by NCAA DI rostered and redshirted athletes and post-graduate runners

• Turned in a PR in the 5K by 21 seconds 

Women's
Cross Country

Runner of the Week

Cheyenne Allyn-White,
Kalamazoo

Sophomore
Gobles, Mich. 

• Finished 76th at Eastern Michigan University Fall Classic Oct. 21

• Against a field of mostly Division I and post-graduate competitors, finished in 20.50.1 for the 5K event

• Was the top finisher for the Hornets with her collegiate PR in the 5K

Men's
Swimming
& Diving

Swimmer/Diver of the Week

Mac Robertson, Albion

Freshman
Zeeland, Mich. 

• Was on two winning relays at MIAA Relays hosted by Hope Oct. 21

• Was on both the 500 free relay and 200 free relay winning teams

• Also swam leadoff in Albion's second-place 200 breaststroke relay 

Women's
Swimming
& Diving 

Swimmer/Diver of the Week

Abby Van Harn, Calvin

Junior
Grand Rapids, Mich. 

• Had a strong week in two meets on the weekend at the MIAA Relays Oct. 21 and a three-team event against Division II foes Grand Valley State and Hillsdale Oct. 22.

• Was on three winning relay teams at the MIAA Relays, including the 200 free, 500 free, and 200 medley relays

• Finished first in both the 50 and 100 free in the meet against GVSU and Hillsdale