INDIANAPOLIS--The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for February 27, 2023 are based on student-athlete performance from February 20, 2023-February 26, 2023.
Baseball
North Division
Pitcher
Will Gifford / Hillsdale College / Sr. / Pitcher / Golden, CO.
Hillsdale’s Will Gifford helped the Chargers secure a win over Wayne State this past weekend. He threw six innings of scoreless baseball in an 11-0 shutout over the regionally-ranked Warriors. Gifford finished with five strikeouts and just five hits. He walked only three batters and is now 2-1 on the season.
Player
Cam Scott / Ashland University / So. / Third Base / Mapleton, Ill.
Third baseman Cam Scott played a major role in Ashland’s three wins against Concord over the weekend. He posted a batting average of .545 (6-11). Scott scored two runs on the day with a .909 slugging percentage. The Mapleton, Ill native recorded two triples and six RBIs and an on-base percentage of .615 through three games.
South Division
Pitcher
Evan Oakley / Kentucky Wesleyan College / Fr. / Pitcher / Gilbertsville, Ky.
Evan Oakley pitched seven innings for Kentucky Wesleyan as they beat Fairmont State 4-2. Oakley allowed just two runs on four hits, while striking out a career-high 10 batters. In the Great Midwest, Oakley ranks second in strikeouts with 19.
Player
Zach Curtis / Kentucky Wesleyan / Sr. / Third Base / Evansville, Ind.
Zach Curtis helped the Panthers go 3-0 in a series vs. Ferris State. He went 6-for12 at the plate and hit a trio of home runs with one in each game. Curtis tallied five RBIs and scored five runs. He currently leads the league with five home runs, is second in hits (15) and slugging percentage (.973).
Men’s Basketball
Bo Myers / Malone University / Sr. / Forward / Rockbridge, Ohio
For the second time this season, Bo Myers has been named Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week. Myers, a senior forward from Rockbridge, Ohio, helped the Pioneers go 2-0 over the weekend, including an upset over first-place Ashland. Through two games, he averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds. Myers is second in the conference in scoring, averaging 18.2 points per game.
Women’s Basketball
Morgan McMillen / Walsh University / Gr. / Guard / New Philadelphia, Ohio
Morgan McMillen is this week’s Women’s Basketball Athlete of the week. McMillen helped the Cavaliers secure two conference victories and earn the six seed in the conference tournament. Against Cedarville, she registered a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. In a win over Lake Erie, she scored 29 points, while shooting 70% from the three. McMillen is second in the Great Midwest in three-points percentage (39.6%) and scoring (19.9 PPG).
Men’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Phillip Bell / Malone University / Jr. / Goalkeeper / Powder Springs, Georgia
For the second consecutive week, Phillip Bell is recognized as Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Athlete of the Week. The Junior Goalkeeper led Malone to a 17-8 win over Felician University. He totaled 19 saves on 50 shots for a .704 save percentage.
Offensive
Ramsey Burnard / Malone University / Fr. / Midfield / Theresa, NY
Malone’s Ramsey Burnard has been named Men’s Lacrosse Offensive Athlete of the Week after helping the Pioneers grab a win over Felician University. In the 17-8 victory, Burnard netted three goals, four assists, and picked up three ground balls.
Women’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Jenay Rennie / Tiffin University/ Jr. / Goalkeeper. / New Westminster, B.C., Canada
Jenay Rennie recorder her first win in the net this season with a victory over Thomas More. Rennie made 13 saved while leading the team with seven ground balls.
Offensive
Rachel Crumbacher / Ashland University / Fr. / Attack / Avon, Ohio
Rachel Crumbacher led the Eagles to a 12-10 win vs. Wilmington, Del. She connected on three goals and had four assists for a total of seven points on the day.
Softball Pitcher
Joni Russell / Hillsdale College / So. / Pitcher / Cable, Ohio
Joni Russell tabbed a perfect 3-0 record and three complete games for the Chargers. She tallied 36 strikeouts and just eight hits. Through three games, Russell gave up just one earned run. In an 8-0 win over Gannon, she threw 11 strikeouts. Against Bridgeport, she added 11 more strikeouts and rounded out the weekend with 14 strikeouts against Georgia Southwestern.
Softball Player
Grace Wallner / Hillsdale College / Jr. / Third Base / Wheaton, Ill.
Grace Wallner went 8-of-14 behind the plate for an average of .571. She recorded at leaset one hit in Hillsdale’s five games. Wallner finished the weekend with five RBIs, one double, two home runs, and four runs scored. Against Bridgeport, Wallner had the go-ahead double as well as a solo home run in the Charger’s 4-1 win over Bridgeport.
STUNT
Lilly Boldman / Ashland University / Jr. / Flyer / Huron, Ohio
The Eagles went 1-1 over the weekend as Lilly Boldman led Ashland to a win over Central Michigan. Boldman registered 41 points in a 14-13 victory.
Men’s Tennis
William Rassat / Ashland University / Sr. / Veigny Focenex, France
William Rassat recorded three wins for the Eagles. He registered two wins at No.1 Singles (6-4,6-3) against opponents from Oberlin College. At No. 2 doubles, Rassat and his partner beat their opponent 8-2.
Women’s Tennis
Laura Brito / University of Findlay / Sr. / Carcas, Venezuela
Laura Brito won both No. 4 singles matches as Findlay recorded two wins. Brito defeated opponents from IUP and Bucknell by scores of 6-2 and 6-1.