Posted: Sep 17, 2018
MIAA Players of the Week - September 17, 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 16, 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
Jonathan Ellis, Calvin
Sophomore
Baltimore, Md.
Ellis placed 14th at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational Sept. 14, running the 8K course in 25:37. His finish helped Calvin place fourth overall in a field of 25 teams, finishing behind only Michigan State, Michigan, and Grand Valley State.
MIAA Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Katie Diekema, Calvin
Senior
Kenmore, Wash.
Diekema was the top Division III finisher at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational Sept. 14, finishing 13th overall with a time of 22:06 on the 6K course. In a field that included nationally-ranked Michigan State (Division I) and Grand Valley State (Division II), Diekema aided Calvin in posting an eighth-place finish.
MIAA Football Offensive Player of the Week
Mike Miklusicak, Hope
Senior, Running Back
Wayland, Mich.
In his first game back after missing the 2017 season with an injury, Miklusicak ran for 125 yards on 12 first-half carries in Hope's 53-12 win over Wisconsin Lutheran Sept. 15. Miklusicak tallied two touchdowns, with the longest going for 59 yards, along with a six-yard run that helped the Flying Dutchmen take a 20-6 first-half lead.
MIAA Football Defensive Player of the Week
Joe Piet, Kalamazoo
Senior, Defensive Line
Evergreen Park, Ill.
Piet totalled 11 tackles, including five solo efforts and three tackles-for-loss, in Kalamazoo's 23-7 win at Rockford Sept. 15. Of his tackles-for-loss, 2.5 were sacks for 11 yards. The Hornets allowed only 11 first downs and 159 yards of offense in the victory, moving Kalamazoo to 3-0 on the season.
MIAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Austin Behnke, Adrian
Freshman, Punter
Roseville, Mich.
Had six punts in Adrian's 27-5 win over Aurora Sept. 15, helping win the field position battle with 41.3 yards per punt. His longest effort went for 65 yards, while two were inside the 20-yard line and one touchback.
MIAA Men's Golf Athlete of the Week
Andrew Skibski, Adrian
Senior
Monroe, Mich.
Shot three-under 69 at the first MIAA Jamboree Sept. 12 to tie for second place overall, finishing just one shot back and leading Adrian by five strokes. Then, at the Irish Hills Intercollegiate Sept. 14-15, shot a three-over 147 (73-74) to tie for seventh place.
MIAA Women's Golf Athlete of the Week
Abby Meder, Hope
Sophomore
Lansing, Mich.
Meder was the medalist at both of Hope's outings last week, including the first MIAA Jamboree Sept 13 with a two-over 74 to win by four strokes. On the weekend, Meder shot a five-over 77 at the Hope Invitational to win by one stroke on the four-team field.
Jason Warras, Albion
Freshman, Forward
Plymouth, Mich.
Scored both game-winning goals for Adrian on a 2-0-0 road trip for the Britons. At Wittenberg Sept. 14, scored his first collegiate goal in the 33rd minute as Albion tallied a 4-1 victory. The following day at Anderson (Ind.), Warras shook the nets in the 103rd minute to give the Britons a 1-0 double-overtime road win.
Justin Lavin, Olivet
Sophomore, Goalkeeper
Frankfort, Ill.
Lavin played 290 minutes in three games last week for Olivet, helping the Comets post a 2-0-1 record. Lavin made three saves in Olivet's 1-0 road win over Wisconsin Lutheran Sept. 15 for the shutout. The day previous against Lake Forest, Lavin came up with a career-best 10 saves in 110 minutes in a 1-1 draw. Lavin started the week with seven saves in Olivet's 2-1 win over Defiance Sept. 12.
Megan Bigelow, Hope
Junior, Midfielder
Flushing, Mich.
Scored two goals, including the game-winner in Hope's 3-1 win over Capital Sept. 15, scoring in the 23rd and 79th minutes. In Hope's 1-1 draw at No. 3 Chicago Sept. 12, helped the Flying Dutch get on the board in the seventh minute providing the pass that set up teammate Abbey Przekop.
Delaney Rohlman, Saint Mary's
Junior, Defender/Goalkeeper
Indianapolis, Ind.
Rohlman made two complete game appearances in goal for Saint Mary's last week, helping the Belles tally their first back-to-back wins since the 2014 season. In Saint Mary's 6-0 win over Manchester Sept. 14, made three saves in the shutout victory. Then, against Concordia Wisconsin Sept. 16, Rohlman came up with seven saves to aid the Belles in their 3-1 win.
Alex Cadigan, Kalamazoo
Senior
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Cadigan went 4-0 on the weekend at the Hope Invitational Sept. 14-15 on the way to winning the Doubles B Flight title. Cadigan and teammate Henry Fuchs defeated Calvin's Fahr/Benzel 8-4, then defeated Grand Valley State's Castanhiera/Lesoulie, 8-2. Cadigan and Fuchs then bounced GVSU's Muniz/Zwemer 9-8 (5) for the win. Cadigan also added a win in the Singles B Flight.
Anna Kamp, Calvin
Senior, Outside Hitter
Orland Park, Ill.
Kamp registered a career-high 28 kills in Calvin's four-set win over DePauw Sept. 15 at the DePauw Tiger Invitational last weekend on the way to earning All-Tournament team honors as the top-ranked Knights remained undefeated on the season. Kamp tallied a double-double of 19 kills and 10 digs with two blocks and three assists in Calvin's 3-1 win over No. 11 Illinois Wesleyan.
Morgan VanderWey, Saint Mary's
Sophomore, Setter
Tinley Park, Ill.
VanderWey averaged 9.78 assists per set in a 4-1 week for Saint Mary's, earning All-Tournament team accolades at the 2018 Manchester University Invitational Sept. 14-15. Posted a season-high seven kills on 11 attempts for a .636 attack percentage in Saint Mary's 3-0 win over Wilmington (Ohio) Sept. 14 on the way to a week of 21 kills to only one error as setter. VanderWey also added 1.5 digs per set with four total blocks and four service aces.
