INDIANAPOLIS--The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for December  5, 2022 are based on student-athlete performance from November 29, 2022-December 4, 2022.
 
Men’s Basketball
Jonny Manning/ Lake Erie College / So. / Forward / Grafton, Ohio
Lake Erie’s Jonny Manning stuffed the stat line this past week as he recorded two double-doubles in games against Tiffin and Cedarville. On the week, he averaged 18.5 points per game, 14.5 rebounds per game, and two blocks per game. He shattered the program record for rebounds in a single game with 18 vs. Tiffin. Manning poured in 16 points and added two blocks in the Storm’s win over the Dragons. Against Cedarville, Manning added 21 points, 11 rebounds, and two blocks.
 
Women’s Basketball
Alexis Hutchinson/ Malone University/ Sr. / Guard / Centerville, Ohio
For the second time this season, Alexis Hutchinson has been named Great Midwest Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week. Hutchinson helped the Pioneers improve to 5-2 on the year as she averaged 18.0 points and 5.5 rebounds on the week. Hutchinson also dished out 12 assists and had five steals through two games. In the Great Midwest, she ranks fourth in scoring, averaging 19.7 points per game and second in assists with 5.1 per contest.
 
Men’s Indoor Field
Brock Janowicz / Ashland University / So. / Throws / Canton, Ohio
Sophomore Brock Janowicz earned a national provisional mark in the opening meet of the 2022-23 Indoor Track & Field Season. Janowicz and the Eagles competed at the Oiler Open, where he won the men’s weight throw at 19.44 meters/ 63-feet-9. Janowicz currently holds the second best weight throw in the nation at the Division II level. 
 
Men’s Indoor Track
Josh Verhoff/ University of Findlay / Sr. / Sprints / Kalida, Ohio
Findlay’s Josh Verhoff had a record-breaking performance to open the 2022 Indoor Track & Field season. He found himself atop the podium in the 200m dash with a 21.61 time. Verhoff’s time shattered Findlay’s school record and is the second fastest in Division II so far this season.
 
Women’s Indoor Field
Nikita Maines/ Hillsdale College / Sr. / Throws / Centralia, Ill. 
Nikita Maines from Hillsdale College earned Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week after placing first in the weight throw at the Oiler Open. Maines’ marked a throw of 19.06 meters, a provisional qualifying mark and the third-best throw in the nation at the Division II level. The senior also took runner-up honors in the shot put with a throw of 14.43 meters, which was also a provisional qualifying mark as well as the third-best throw in Division II to date.
 
Women’s Indoor Track
Kya Epps/ Walsh University / Fr. / Sprints / Akron, Ohio
In her first collegiate meet, Kya Epps earned a third place finish in the 60m and 200m sprint at the Youngstown State Icebreaker Invitational. At Mount Union’s Toy Drive Invitational, Epps won the 60m sprint. Her times in both events currently rank seventh-best in Division II.
 
Men’s Swimming & Diving
Daniel Garcia/ University of Findlay / Jr. / Bucaramanga, Colombia
Garcia helped the Oilers earn a third-place finish at the Calvin Winter Invite. Garcia broke several school and conference records in a number of events including the 200 Individual Medley (1:45.86), 100 Breaststroke (51.93), 400 Individual Medley (3:51.85), 200 Breaststroke (1:55.94). His time in the 100 Breaststroke ranks as the best in Division II this season and eighth best in the NCAA across all divisions. Garcia’s 200 Breaststroke time of 1:55.94 is the second-best time in Division II this season.
 
Women’s Swimming & Diving
Emily Mears-Bentley / University of Findlay / Fr. / Leicester, England
Emily Mears-Bentley had record-breaking performances in several events at the Calvin Winter Invite over the weekend. She earned first-place honors in the 50 free (23.33), 100 fly (54.64), and 100 free (50.52). Mears-Bentley’s 50 free time tied the school record. She also set new conference and school records in the 100 fly, 200 free, and 100 Free. In the 100 free, her time of 50.52 ranks as the fourth-best in Division II this season.
 
Wrestling
Gabe Adams / Kentucky Wesleyan College / Jr. / 141 lbs. / Sturgis, Ky.
Kentucky Wesleyan’s Gabe Adams is this week’s Wrestling Athlete of the Week. Adams went 4-0 over the weekend at Lander University. He beat opponents from Simon Fraser, Lander, Belmont Abby, and Mount Olive. Adams was victorious in an 8-1 decision, 5-1 decision, 3-1 decision, and an 11-1 major decision.