Posted: Sep 10, 2018
MIAA Players of the Week - September 10, 2018
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the student-athletes selected as Athletes of the Week, for the week of competition ending on September 9, 2018.
The MIAA Athlete of the Week awards are nominated by coaches following one week of competition, and selected by a panel of MIAA Sports Information Directors, including the MIAA Director of Media Relations.
This week's winners are listed below with their respective achievements during last week's competition.
MIAA Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Tyler Johnson, Calvin
Junior
Springfield, Ill.
Johnson was the top finisher for the No. 22-ranked Knights Sept. 8 at the Calvin Knight Invite. Johnson finished fifth in a time of 25:25.7 to help Calvin win its second consecutive Calvin Knight Invite team title. Calvin finished with a first-place team score of 56 points. Johnson was one of three Calvin runners that finished in the top eight individually.
MIAA Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Cassie Vince, Albion
Senior
Amherst, Ohio
Vince won the Detroit Mercy Titans Invitational Sept. 8, competing against NCAA Division I programs. Vince was at the front of the pack throughout the race Saturday, crossing the line in the 5K race in 17:46.1, 20 seconds in front of second place. It was the fastest winning time on that course since 2009 and eighth fastest performance ever for the 32nd annual running of the meet. Vince helped the Britons finish third in the team race, ahead of the host Titans.
MIAA Football Offensive Player of the Week
Jerron McGaw, Adrian
Senior, Wide Receiver
Indianapolis, Ind.
Tied an Adrian record with five touchdown receptions in the Bulldogs' 56-27 win over Buffalo State Sept. 8. McGaw's career-best marks of 13 receptions and 256 yards set the tone in the home win, with his yards total just missing a program record by only nine yards. McGaw scored three of Adrian's first four touchdowns with catches of 15, four, and 39 yards to help Adrian take a 28-0 lead in the game; he added touchdown catches of 65 yards and six yards in the second half.
MIAA Football Defensive Player of the Week
Darrell McEntire, Albion
Senior, Cornerback
Detroit, Mich.
McEntire aided in Albion's 56-35 win over Franklin Sept. 8 with a team-high 14 tackles, including 11 solo efforts, with one tackle-for-loss. McEntire added a fumble recovery in the second quarter, and his interception in the third quarter aided the Britons in giving up just seven second-half points.
MIAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Jeffery Barnett, Trine
Senior, Return Specialist
Fremont, Ohio
Barnett returned a second-quarter kickoff back for a 95-yard touchdown in Trine's 34-13 win over Bluffton Sept. 8. His return ties his career longest kickoff return and is tied for third-longest in program history. For the game, Barnett finished with 113 return yards while adding 47 yards receiving on five catches.
MIAA Men's Golf Athlete of the Week
Josh Gibson, Hope
Senior
Grandville, Mich.
Gibson finished third overall at the 17-team Aurora Double Gun Invitational Sept. 4, posting a 36-hole score of 68-72--140 to finish four-under on the day. Gibson helped Hope place second overall, just five strokes off the lead.
MIAA Women's Golf Athlete of the Week
Brooke Symons, Adrian
Junior
Sterling Heights, Mich.
Finished 11th overall at the 14-team Kyle Campbell Invitational Sept. 7-8 at the Medalist Golf Club, recording a two-round score of 82-81--163 as the Bulldogs' top finisher.
Alistair Law, Olivet
Senior, Forward
Blackburn, England
Law set an Olivet record with five goals in one game, lifting the Comets to a 5-2 win over Bluffton Sept. 8. Law struck three times in the first half, shaking the nets in the third, 18th, and 28th minutes; Law then added a 25-yard free kick in the 83rd minute and a penalty kick in the 84th minute. Law surpassed the previous record of four goals, set three times previous, most recently in 2002.
Trent Vegter, Calvin
Senior, Defender
Hudsonville, Mich.
Vegter and the Calvin defense helped in the Knights posting two wins last week, including a 5-0 win over Milikin Sept. 7 for the team's second shutout of the season. In the win over Milikin, Calvin allowed only four shots. Then, in Calvin's 9-2 win over Ohio Northern Sept. 8, Vegter tallied one goal while holding Ohio Northern to six shots.
Joy Hunziker, Kalamazoo
Sophomore, Midfielder/Forward
Allegan, Mich.
Hunziker posted seven points on two goals and three assists in a 2-1-0 week for the Hornets, with assists in all three contests. Hunziker assisted on the game-winning goal at No. 15 Wheaton Sept. 8 in the game's 72nd minute. Against Aurora Sept. 7, Hunziker scored two goals while assisting on the game-winner in Kalamazoo's 4-0 road win. She also added an assist in a tough 3-2 setback to No. 2 Chicago Sept. 4.
Hannah Wolfe, Kalamazoo
Sophomore, Goalkeeper
West Bloomfield, Mich.
Wolfe made nine saves in Kalamazoo's 1-0 win over No. 15 Wheaton Sept. 8, as the Hornets handed Wheaton their first home loss in a calendar year and ended the Thunder's season-opening shutout streak. Wolfe added 11 saves in Kalamazoo's 3-2 loss to No. 2 Chicago Sept. 4, and made one save in the Hornets' 4-0 shutout win at Aurora Sept. 7.
Sarah DeVries, Calvin
Junior, Middle Hitter/Setter
Grand Rapids, Mich.
DeVries had an all-around week for the Knights, aiding the No. 1-ranked Calvin team to a 4-0 week. DeVries averaged 5.58 assists per set, 3.25 digs per set, and 4.17 kills per set in 12 sets while hitting .500. Against Trine Sept. 7, had 13 kills, 16 assists, and 14 digs while adding four blocks and a service ace. DeVries just missed a second triple-double against Saint Mary's Sept. 8 with 16 assists, 13 digs, and nine kills in the three-set win.
Haley Novak, Alma
Sophomore, Setter/Opposite Hitter
Midland, Mich.
Novak was a key factor in Alma's 3-1 week during the MIAA Preview at Calvin College, averaging 10.29 assists per sent and 3.14 digs per set for the Scots. Against Trine Sept. 8, tallied 40 assists, 14 digs, three kills, a service ace and a block in Alma's 3-1 win. Novak had 52 assists in Alma's 3-1 win over Saint Mary's Sept. 8, adding 17 digs.
