Posted: Dec 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 December 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.
Jason Beckman, Hope
Senior, Guard
Shelby, Mich.
Beckman scored 33 points in 38 minutes to help Hope in their 89-78 win over Grace Christian Dec. 4. Beckman went 7-of-14 from three-point range in the game while adding eight assists and six rebounds to his stats line. In Hope's 82-74 setback to No. 6 UW-Stevens Point Dec. 8, Beckman tallied 16 points to go with six assists.
Jeny Brandt, Alma
Sophomore, Center
Escanaba, Mich.
Brandt came off the bench for a pair of double-doubles in Alma's 1-1 week. In the Scots' 54-49 win at Adrian Dec. 5, Brandt tied a career-high with 16 points to go with a season-high 11 rebounds, one off her career best, while adding three blocked shots in 18 minutes of play. The following outing at Olivet, Brandt again came in as reserve to notch a career-high 17 points to go with 11 rebounds. For the week, Brandt shot 75 percent from the field (15-of-20).
Peyton Hirschenberger, Alma
Junior
Freeland, Mich.
Hirschenberger finished in the top six in the long jump and triple jump at Alma's season-opener at SVSU Holiday Open. Hirschenberger took third place with an effort of 12.57m for the best individual finish for Alma; he then took sixth in the long jump with a mark of 6.15m.
Owen Ljung, Hope
Junior
Sonoma, Calif.
Ljung started the indoor season with a time of 1:54.49 in the 800m run, good for fourth-best in NCAA Division III this year. Ljung finished eighth overall in the race, with his time ranking seventh among collegians and the fastest time for a Division III competitor at the Grand Valley State Holiday Open Dec. 7.
Grace Hearth, Alma
Sophomore
Freeland, Mich.
Hearth reached a personal best in the triple jump at the SVSU Holiday Open Dec. 7, reaching 10.21m for a fifth-place finish for the highest finish for an Alma competitor at the event. Hearth added an effort of 1.48m in the high jump, just off her personal best, to tie for 10th place.
Emily Hamilton, Hope
Senior
Naperville, Ill.
Hamilton set the Hope record for the indoor 5K at the GVSU Holiday Open Dec. 7, crossing the line in 17:35.89 to finish 21st overall in a field with Division I, Division II, and unattached competitors. Hamilton, who was the top Division III finisher in the event, now ranks sixth nationally in the 5K.
Devon Pingel, Adrian
Sophomore, 184
Lapeer, Mich.
Pingel was the champion at 184 at the North Central Invitational, defeating No. 8-ranked Cody Baldbridge (North Central) with a 6-4 decision in the title match. Pingel advanced to the final by avenging a fall to Trine's Luke Carver from last week with a 6-3 decision in the semifinals. Pingel started his title run with a pair of early round falls to finish 4-0 on the week.
