Posted: Jan 28, 2019
The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association has announced the student-athletes selected as Athletes of the Week, for the week of competition ending on January 27, 2019.
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.
Ben Reiter, Kalamazoo
Junior, Forward
Rochester, Mich.
Reiter tallied 17 of his season-high 25 points in the first half to help vault Kalamazoo to a 92-82 overtime win against Alma Jan. 26. In the win, Reiter scored five points in overtime while adding four rebounds and two assists in the win; he shot 8-of-13 from the field, including 5-of-8 from three-point range against the Scots. Earlier in the week, Reiter notched 15 points in Kalamazoo's first MIAA win of the season, a 67-62 victory over Adrian.
Brandi Dawson, Trine
Senior, Guard
Garrett, Ind.
Dawson averaged 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals per game in two Trine victories against MIAA foes last week. Against No. 7 Hope Jan. 26, Dawson had team bests of 20 points and six rebounds along with a blocked shot in Trine's 78-72 victory. Dawson started the week with 24 points, six rebounds, and four steals in a 72-56 Trine win over Calvin Jan. 23.
Jacob Smith, Olivet
Sophomore
Sumner, Mich.
Smith tallied a career-best with a second-place finish in the shot put at the Defiance College Invitational Jan. 26. Smith reached 16.52m to set an Olivet record, rank first in the MIAA by 0.6m (two feet), and move into 20th place nationally.
Luke Reed, Alma
Junior
Benzonia, Mich.
Won the 3000m run at the Defiance College Invitational Jan. 26, crossing the line in 9:29.82. Reed beat the 13-runner field by six seconds and posted a personal best by seven seconds; it was also his first career indoor track win.
Kim Barber, Albion
Senior
Gobles, Mich.
Barber was the winner of the triple jump at the Baldwin Wallace Dr. Taraschke Team Challenge Jan. 26, reaching the distance of 10.94m. That mark not only set an Albion record, but ranks first in the MIAA by 0.5m and is 43rd in NCAA Division III.
Cassie Vince, Albion
Senior
Amherst, Ohio
Vince set an Albion record in the mile while competing at the Baldwin Wallace Dr. Taraschke Team Challenge Jan. 26, finishing in 4:54.84. Vince now ranks first in the MIAA in the event and second nationally after beating the 24-runner field by six seconds; the time was also a Lou Higgins Recreation Center facility record.
Brian Simonich, Hope
Senior
Highland, Mich.
Simonich won the 1-meter board in Hope's meet with Albion Jan. 26, scoring an event-best 299.55. Simonich added a third-place finish on the 3-meter board with a score of 293.15.
Daniel Keith, Hope
Sophomore
Saline, Mich.
Keith was a two-time individual winner against Albion Jan. 26, touching first in the 100 free (46.42) and 200 free (1:42.40); Keith's time in the 200 was a season best for the sophomore and second fastest in the MIAA this season. Keith added a 22.44 butterfly split in Hope's winning 200 medley relay and a 21.43 leadoff in the 200 free relay.
MIAA Women's Diver of the Week
Nicki Bailey, Kalamazoo
Sophomore
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Bailey was a two-time winner on the boards against Alma Jan. 26, posting a school-record 280.26 on the 1-meter board. On the 3-meter board, Bailey posted a score of 276.45 for an NCAA qualifying mark.
Emma Schaefer, Hope
Sophomore
St. Johns, Mich.
Schaefer was a three-time event winner in Hope's 180-107 victory over Albion Jan. 26. Individually, Schaefer won the 100 breast (1:07.92) and 200 breast (2:29.01); Schaefer aided Hope with a 30.67 split in the breaststroke to help Hope open the meet with a 200 medley relay victory.
Noah Nieman, Adrian
Sophomore, 149
Blissfield, Mich.
Nieman was the runner-up in the 149-pound bracket at the Pete Willson Invitational Jan. 25-26, going 4-1 on the weekend. In advancing to the championship round, Nieman pinned Olivet's Drew Mandell in a come-from-behind win (6:22) in the semifinals. Nieman started with a 9-5 decision against John Carroll's Jarrad Lasko (D3wrestle.com's honorable mention), and followed with a 9-6 decision against Alex Heiden of UW-Stevens Point and a 12-8 decision against Ferrum's Collin Saunders (D3wrestle.com's contender).
