Posted: Oct 22, 2018
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the student-athletes selected as Athletes of the Week, for the week of competition ending on October 21, 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
Jackson Kelly, Kalamazoo
Junior
Grosse Ile, Mich.
Kelly placed 36th overall at the EMU Fall Classic Oct. 19, competing against NCAA Division I competitors. Kelly's time on the 5K course was 16:51.4 to lead the Hornets.
MIAA Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Lauren Arquette, Kalamazoo
Senior
Canton, Mich.
Arquette turned in a season-best time of 19:01.0 at the EMU Fall Classic Oct. 19, finishing 35th overall in a field featuring NCAA Division I runners. Her effort was the top finish for Kalamazoo.
MIAA Football Offensive Player of the Week
Mason Opple, Hope
Junior, Quarterback
Hudsonville, Mich.
Opple fueled Hope's offense in the Flying Dutchmen's 35-30 win over Olivet Oct. 20. Opple rushed for 244 yards, including a long of 81 yards, with three rushing touchdowns to rank as the most rushing yards in a game by a Hope quarterback in program history and ninth all-time. Opple also threw for a touchdown, completing 6-of-12 passes for 45 yards.
MIAA Football Defensive Player of the Week
Dillion Hueckstaedt, Finlandia
Senior, Linebacker
Baraga, Mich.
Hueckstaedt set a Finlandia record with 24 tackles against No. 14 Trine Oct. 20, the second-most in NCAA Division III this season and third-most by a single player in an MIAA game since 2000. Hueckstaedt gathered 11 solo tackles and assisted on 13 other stops. He also tallied four tackles for loss, which is tied for 30th in NCAA Division III on the year.
MIAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Greg Kearns, Kalamazoo
Junior, Kicker
Howell, Mich.
Kearns converted on a 42-yard field goal while adding a 2-for-2 effort on extra points in Kalamazoo's seventh consecutive victory, a 17-10 win over Alma Oct. 20. Kearns also had four kickoffs, averaging 62.0 yards per kick with a pair of touchbacks.
Tad Davis, Adrian
Senior, Midfielder/Forward
Trenton, Mich.
Davis tallied three goals on the week, including two game-winners, in a key 2-0-0 week for Adrian in MIAA to place the Bulldogs as the No. 2 seed in the upcoming MIAA Men's Soccer Tournament. In Adrian's 2-0 win at Trine Oct. 17, Davis put the Bulldogs on the board in the second minute to give Adrian a key tie-breaker against the Thunder in the MIAA standings. Against Alma Oct. 20, Davis scored the game-winner in the 10th minute and added an insurance strike in the 58th minute.
Zachary Roller, Adrian
Senior, Defender
Toledo, Ohio
Roller was a key factor both defensively and offensively for Adrian in two MIAA victories last week. Roller and the Bulldogs held Alma to just three shots on goal Oct. 20 in a 6-0 Adrian victory, while also notching two goals in Adrian's final regular season home game. Earlier in the week at Trine Oct. 17, Roller not only assisted on the game-winner but added an insurance goal in the 53rd minute, but aided the Adrian defense in giving up just two shots on goal in the 2-0 victory.
Rylie Dalton, Hope
Senior, Midfielder
Rockford, Mich.
Dalton scored both game-winning goals for Hope last week, as the Flying Dutch guaranteed a first-round bye in the upcoming MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament. Dalton shook the nets in the 108th minute to ift Hope in their 1-0 overtime win against Albion Oct. 16, putting pressure on the Britons all game with five shots on goal. Against Saint Mary's Oct. 20, Dalton scored in the sixth and 14th minutes for Hope's first two goals in a 5-0 road win.
Kristen Marsman, Hope
Senior, Defender
Holland, Mich.
Marsman helped hold Hope opponents to few scoring opportunities last week, resulting in two shutout victories for the Flying Dutch in MIAA play. Marsman and Hope conceded just one shot on goal in their 1-0 double-overtime victory over Albion Oct. 16, followed by no shots on goal and only four shot attempts in their win at Saint Mary's Oct. 20.
Ben Holstege, Calvin
Senior
Keswick, Va.
Holstege took second in the 100 back in a dual with NCAA Division II Grand Valley State Oct. 19, touching in 49.98 for the top time thus far in the season for NCAA Division III. Holstege also swam the lead leg in the 200 medley relay, posting a split of 22.95 in the backstroke, which is the fastest time so far for NCAA Division III this season.
Anna Serino, Calvin
Senior
Pinckney, Mich.
Serino posted the third-fastest time in the 200 free thus far in NCAA Division III at Calvin's meet against NCAA Division II foes Grand Valley State and Hillsdale Oct. 19, finishing second overall in the event with a time of 1:55.25. Serino, who posted an MIAA-best 5:21.13 in the 500 free to rank 24th in NCAA Division III, also swam a leg on Calvin's winning 200 free relay team.
McKenna Otto, Hope
Freshman, Middle Hitter
Wheaton, Ill.
Otto tallied 15 kills while hitting .444 in Hope's 3-1 win over Saint Mary's Oct. 16, adding six bloks, two digs, an assist and a service ace in the MIAA contest. On the weekend against nationally-ranked UW-Whitewater, Otto tallied 10 kills and three blocks in a five-set setback; Otto then rallied with 11 kills on 14 attempts (.643 hitting pct.) to go with four blocks and two service aces in a 3-0 win over UW-Stevens Point.
Tracy Westra, Hope
Freshman, Setter
Clarendon Hills, Ill.
Westra had a double-double of 26 assists and 10 kills as a three-rotation player in Hope's 3-1 win over Saint Mary's Oct. 16, adding two blocks and a dig for the match. For the three-match week for Hope, Westra hit .621 (19-1-29) while averaging 4.82 assists per set.
