Posted: Nov 04, 2019
MIAA Athletes of the Week - November 4, 2019
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the 16 student-athletes selected as its Athletes of the Week, for the week of competition ending on November 3, 2019.
The MIAA Athlete of the Week awards are nominated by coaches following one week of competition, and selected by 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
Junior
Baltimore, Md.
Jonathan Ellis led Calvin to a 1-2-3-4-5 finish for the second consecutive year at the 2019 MIAA Men's Cross Country Championship Nov. 2. Ellis won with a time of 26:02 to win by a 13-second margin.
MIAA Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Evie Bultemeyer, Trine
Junior
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Evie Bultemeyer was the individual champion of the 2019 MIAA Women's Cross Country Championship Nov. 2, winning the event in a time of 22:34.9 to win the race by a 45-second margin. Bultemeyer aided the host Trine team finish second overall with a team score of 49 points.
MIAA Football Defense Athlete of the Week
Tyrone Collins, Albion
Freshman, DB
Bradenton, Fla.
Tyrone Collins was a key factor in Albion's 24-14 win over Trine Nov. 2, notching seven tackles, two interceptions, a broken-up pass, and a blocked field goal return for a touchdown to help Albion take the lead for good. Collins return of 72 yards gave Albion a 17-14 lead in the third quarter. Collins' first interception came at the end of the second quarter to fend off the Thunder at the 18-yard line; Collins then nabbed a fourth-quarter interception with just over one minute remaining to seal the win.
MIAA Football Offense Athlete of the Week
Jack Wurzer, Adrian
Sophomore, QB
Pinckney, Mich.
Jack Wurzer guided Adrian on scoring drives in five of the Bulldogs' first six possessions in their 48-24 win at Finlandia Nov. 2. Wurzer completed 10 of 13 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns in less than two quarters of action. While conditions were less than ideal on the snow-covered field, Wurzer still finished with a 269.8 efficiency rating.
MIAA Football Special Teams Athlete of the Week
Brandon Major-Kailing, Olivet
Freshman, WR/KR
Reed City, Mich.
Brandon Major-Kailing started the contest against Kalamazoo with a 96-yard kickoff return to aid in Olivet's 30-20 win over the Hornets Nov. 2. Major-Kailing's return of 96 yards is ninth-longest in MIAA history and third-longest in Olivet history. Major-Kailing aided Olivet in out-gaining Kalamazoo on kickoff returns, 143-17.
MIAA Men's Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week
Maximilian Loria, Albion
Junior, GK
Sterling Heights, Mich.
Maximilian Loria made six saves in Albion's 1-1 tie against Adrian Nov. 2 in the first round of the MIAA Men's Soccer Tournament. Loria made six saves in 110 minutes, including three stops in overtime while the Britons played a player down. In the penalty kick shootout, Loria smothered the first penalty faced on the way to Albion advancing, 4-1 in spot kicks. Earlier in the week, Loria had five saves in a 2-0 setback to MIAA Champion Calvin Oct. 30.
MIAA Men's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week
Joan Tomas, Albion
Freshman, D
Carera De Mar, Spain
Joan Tomas had a team-best four shots, including two shots on goal, during Albion's 1-1 draw with Adrian Nov. 2 in the first round of the MIAA Men's Soccer Tournament. Tomas then converted Albion's first penalty kick on the way to the Britons' 4-1 shootout result.
MIAA Women's Soccer Defensive Athlete of the Week
Georgie Andrews, Kalamazoo
Senior, D
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Georgie Andrews played every minute in Kalamazoo's 1-0 win over Calvin Nov. 2 in the first round of the MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament. Defensively, Andrews aided the Kalamazoo back line in allowing just shot on goal. Andrews was also part of initiating the Kalamazoo transition that resulted in the game's lone goal in the 26th minute.
MIAA Women's Soccer Offensive Athlete of the Week
Josie Sibley, Kalamazoo
Junior, M
Scotts, Mich.
Josie Sibley scored the lone goal in Kalamazoo's 1-0 win over Calvin Nov. 2 in the first round of the MIAA Women's Soccer Tournament. Sibley tallied three shots on goal in the contest, and shook the net in the 26th minute for what proved to be the game-winner for the Hornets.
MIAA Men's Diving Athlete of the Week
Grant Williams, Hope
Junior
East Grand Rapids, Mich.
Grant Williams was a two-time winner at the Davenport Quad with NCAA regional qualifying scores on both the 3-meter and 1-meter diving boards. In the 3-meter, Williams scored 529.95 to win by over 100 points. Williams scored 481.30 on the 1-meter board to win the event by nearly 40 points.
MIAA Men's Swimming Athlete of the Week
Bailey Smith, Hope
Freshman
Battle Creek, Mich.
Bailey Smith won twice in the distance free events at the Davenport Quad Nov. 1-2. Smith won the 1,650 free with a time of 16:57.73, which ranks 11th-best in NCAA Division III. Smith also was victorious in the 500 free, touching first in 4:53.29 to lead a 1-2-3 Hope finish. Smith finished second in the 200 free (1:46.86) and was part of Hope's 200 Free Relay that won the event.
Eve Petrie, Kalamazoo
Emma Schaefer, Hope
MIAA Women's Diving Athlete of the Week
Eve Petrie, Kalamazoo
Sophomore
Lansing, Mich.
Eve Petrie won the 3-meter diving event at the Davenport Quad Nov. 1-2, scoring 402.80 to finish first in the seven-diver field. Petrie finished third on the 1-meter board and was the top NCAA Division III diver with a score of 379.25 competing against 11 divers.
MIAA Women's Swimming Athlete of the Week
Emma Schaefer, Hope
Junior
St. Johns, Mich.
Emma Schaefer had the best MIAA times in four events while competing at the Davenport Quad Nov. 1-2. Schaefer finished second in the 200 IM in 2:12.04, a time that is 20th in NCAA Division III. Schaefer's times in the 400 IM (4:44.79, 24th), 100 Breast (1:09.12, 46th) and 200 Breast (2:30.53, 43rd) are also in the top 50 nationally.
MIAA Volleyball Athlete of the Week
Nicole Lukens, Saint Mary's
Senior, OH
South Bend, Ind.
Nicole Lukens aided the Belles in going 2-0 last week and securing a spot in the MIAA Volleyball Tournament Nov. 5, 8, 9. Lukens had back-to-back double-doubles, including 20 kills and 17 digs against Trine Nov. 1; Lukens' 17th kill in that match was the 1,000th of the senior's career. For the week, Lukens hit .212 while averaging 4.71 digs, 4.57 kills, and 0.43 blocks per set on the way to averaging 4.9 points per set.
Jacqueline Baughman, Trine
MIAA Volleyball Specialist Athlete of the Week
Jacqueline Baughman, Trine
Junior, S
Lake Orion, Mich.
Jacqueline Baughman registered the first triple-double in the junior's career with 10 kills, 36 assists, and 18 digs against Saint Mary's Nov. 1. In Trine's win over Albion Oct. 30, Baughman had 15 digs and 44 assists; in that match, Baughman hit the 1,000-career assist benchmark. For the week, Baughman hit .273 while averaging 8.89 assists, 3.67 digs, 1.78 kills, and 0.56 service aces per set.
MIAA Wrestling Athlete of the Week
Noah Nieman, Adrian
Junior, 149
Blissfield, Mich.
Noah Nieman was victorious at the 149 lb. weight class at the Adrian Invite Nov. 2, going 4-0 with two tech falls. In the semifinal round, Nieman defeated Heidelberg's Hayden Bates, 6-2, and then won the first-place match against Zach Blevins - the national club champion - with a 15-9 decision.
