INDIANAPOLIS- The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for October 30th, 2023 are based on student-athlete performance from October 24th, 2023- October 29th, 2023.
 
 
Football
Defense: Gavin DeGroat / University of Findlay / Fr. / Linebacker / Germantown, Ohio
Freshman Gavin DeGroat led a Findlay defense that held Ohio Dominican to just three points and 82 total yards of offense. DeGroat finished with five tackles, including three tackles for loss and one sack. Of his five tackles, four were solo stops.
 
Offense: Michael Herzog / Hillsdale College / Sr. / Running back  / Windsor, Ontario
Hillsdale’s Michael Herzog registered 156 rushing yards on eight carries in just one quarter of play against Lake Erie. Herzog ran for three touchdowns as Hillsdale went on to win 52-21. He surpassed the 1,000-yard rush mark this season and leads the conference in rushing yards (1,002) and rushing touchdowns (16).
 
Special Teams: Brandon Martin / Northwood University/ R-Fr. / Kick Returner / North Branch, Mich.
Martin led the way for the Northwood special teams, averaging 55 yards over three returns in a road win over Kentucky Wesleyan. In the third quarter, he returned a kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown. Overall, the Timberwolves had two kick returns for over 50 yards and a punt return for 40 yards.
 
Men’s Bowling
Cole Arsenault / Thomas More University / Jr. / Huntsville, AL
Thomas More’s Cole Arsenault was named the first Bowler of the Month for the 2023-24 season. Over the course of three tournaments (16 games), Arsenault posted an average score of 197.88. At the Columbia 300 Western Shootout, he scored a season-high 212, including 1,272 pins through six games. At the Ohio Bowling Conference Event 2, he placed 23^rd with 1,016 pins and a score of 203.2
 
Women’s Bowling
Daylin Tolgo / Kentucky Wesleyan College/ Jr. / Madison, AL.
Kentucky Wesleyan’s Daylin Tolgo started her junior season off strong with an all-tournament honor at the Warhawk Classic. Over the course of nine games, she averaged a score of 184 and led the Panthers to a fourth place team finish.
 
Men’s Golf
Johan Widal / Tiffin University / So. / Halmstad, Sweden
Tiffin’s Johan Widal ended the fall season with a second-place individual finish at the Nemacolin Intercollegiate. Widal shot rounds of 73-71-70 to finish with a total of 214. In the final two rounds, he finished one-under and two-under par.
 
Women’s Golf
Mary Kelly Mulcahy / University of Findlay / Jr. / Lima, Ohio
Mary Kelly Mulcahy earned medalist status at the Nemacolin Intercollegiate. She fired rounds of 78-73-68 to finish with 219(+3). Mulcahy and the Oilers competed in a field of nationally-ranked programs including No. 1 Dallas Baptist. Through five tournaments, Mulcahy picked up three wins and two runner-up finishes as an individual.
 
Men’s Soccer
Defense: Mamadou Keita / Tiffin University / So. / Defense / Monrovia, Liberia
 
Keita led a Tiffin defense that allowed just one shot on goal in a 4-1 victory over Northwood. Keita and the Dragons clinched the regular season championship for the second consecutive year.

Offense: Lewis Matton / Walsh University/ So. / Forward / Weybridge, United Kingdom
Lewis Matton led the Cavaliers to a 1-0-1 week to improve to 5-5-3 in the conference. In a 6-0 win over Ohio Dominican, Matton connected on three shots-on-goal to finish with a hat trick. Matton is sixth in the conference in goals scored with eight on the season.

Women’s Soccer
Defense: Lauren Welsh / Thomas More University / So. / Goalkeeper / Ballyclare, Northern Ireland
 Lauren Welsh recorded two shutout this week as Thomas More clinched a berth in the Great Midwest tournament. Welsh totaled 10 saves in a 2-0 week for the Saints.

Offense: Suzy Hayes / Tiffin University/ Jr. / Midfield/ London, England
Hayes recorded three goals in two matches for a total of six points this week. She scored a brace in a 4-1 victory over Malone and connected on the Dragons’ lone goal against Northwood.
 
Women’s Swimming
Emily Mears-Bentley / University of Findlay / So. / Leicester, England
Emily Mears-Bentley took home the gold in multiple events over the weekend. She won the 200 free (1:50.46) and the 200 butterfly (2:05.15), both NCAA B Cut times. She was a member of the 200 and 400 medley relay teams that earned first-place finishes and broke program records with times of 1:42.61 and 3:43.30. Mears-Bentley then went on to help the 200-free relay team record a first-place time of 1:35.11. In total, she earned five first-place finishes
 
Men’s Swimming
Tim Stollings / University of Findlay / Gr. / Prichard, WV
Tim Stollings finished in first place in five different events over the weekend. He won the 100 butterfly (48.58), 50 free (20.97), 200 medley relay (1:28.52), 200 free relay (1:22.20), and 400 medley relay (3:16.50). Stollings’ 100 butterfly time of 48.58 qualified as an NCAA B Cut time.
 
Men’s Tennis
Matthew Telford / Tiffin University / Sr. / Durham, United Kingdom
Matthew Telford led the Dragons to reach the semifinals of the Wayne State Doubles Tournament, with wins over Findlay and Wayne State. At the Midwest Regional, Telford and partner Michael Gurtner won their round of 16 match over Grand Valley State, 8-4. In singles play, Telford posted wins over Hillsdale and upset No. 4 Drury.
 
Women’s Tennis
Anamarija Kovacevic / University of Findlay / So. / Belgrade, Serbia
Kovacevic led the Oilers to a 1-1 record this month with a win over Division I program Bucknell. She went 2-0 in doubles and 1-1 in singles play.
 

Volleyball North Division
Defense: Kenzie Hoelscher / University of Findlay/ So. / Middle Back / Ft. Loramie, Ohio
Findlay’s Kenzie Hoelscher earned player of the week honors for the second consecutive week. She led the Oilers to a 3-0 week with wins over Thomas More, Cedarville, and Ursuline to clinch a spot in the Great Midwest tournament. Through three matches, Hoelscher registered 16 blocks, including eight against Cedarville.
 
Offense: Emma White / University of Findlay/ So. / Setter / Tiffin, Ohio
Emma White had a record-breaking week, with 132 assists through three matches. White now leads the country in assists with 1,033 this season. She also tabbed 11 aces, including nine against Cedarville, tying the program record for aces in a match.
 
Volleyball South Division
Defense: Katie Thompson / Ashland University / Sr. / Libero / Independence, Ohio
In a 3-0 week for the Eagles, Thompson recorded 67 digs at 5.58 per set. She then went on to add 16 assists and seven service aces.
 
Offense: Addison Conti / Tiffin University / Jr. / Setter / Tiffin, Ohio
Addison Conti earned offensive player of the week after posting a stat line of 27 kills, 73 assists, and 34 digs through three matches. She averaged 6.08 assists, 2.83 digs, and 2.25 kills per set. Conti also recorded a triple-double in a five-set victory over Cedarville. She tallied 13 kills, 29 assists, and 21 digs.