INDIANAPOLIS--The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for April 10, 2023 are based on student-athlete performance from April 3, 2023-April 9, 2023.
Baseball
North Division
Pitcher
Brendan Beaver / Ashland University / So. / Pitcher / Bay City, Mich.
Ashland’s Brendan Beaver earned the 1-0 win against Malone. Beaver pitched 7 2/3 innings, while giving up only three hits and zero runs. He tabbed eight strikeouts to improve to 4-0 this season. In the conference, Beaver holds the best ERA at 1.60 per contest.
Player
Chris Franks / Ashland University / Fr. / Outfield / Wooster City, Ohio
Freshman Chris Franks led the Eagles to a 5-2 week, including a sweep over Malone. Franks registered 12 RBIs in the seven games, including a five and four RBI single-game performance. The 12 RBIs included one double, one triple, and two home runs.
South Division
Max Whitesell / Ohio Dominican University/ So. / Pitcher / Dayton, Ohio
Sophomore Max Whitesell recorded a 0.00 ERA in six innings against Cedarville. Whitesell allowed just one hit, while striking out six batters. He currently ranks 21
st in the conference with an ERA of 5.60.
Player
Brennen Hunt / Ohio Dominican University/ Sr. / Infield / Ashland, Ohio
Ohio Dominican’s Brennen Hunt led the Panthers to a 4-2 week, as he registered a batting average of .409. Hunt was 9-22 from the plate, hitting two doubles and two home runs for nine RBIs. He scored seven runs and stole four bases in six games.
Men’s Golf
Andrew Kolar / Ashland University/ Sr. / Grand Rapids, Mich.
Ashland’s Andrew Kolar tied for first place at Trevecca’s Music City Invitational. He golfed a season-best 140, with scores of 71 and 69. Kolar tabbed six birdies in the second round, including four on the back nine.
Women’s Golf
Mary Kelly Mulcahy / University of Findlay / So. / Lima, Ohio
Mary Kelly went 2-0-1 in her three matches at the North Georgia Bracket Challenge. She won the quarterfinals by eight shots (77). Mulcahy tied her opponent in the semifinals with an even-par 72. She then went on to shoot 70 (-2) in the finals, defeating her opponent by 16 shots.
Men’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Mark Strunk / Seton Hill University / So. / Midfield / Stroudsburg, Pa.
For the second consecutive week, Seton Hill’s Mark Strunk earned Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Week honors. Strunk won 20 of 21 faceoffs for the Griffins. He picked up 10 groundballs, while also scoring one goal as Seton Hill improved to 8-3 overall.
Offensive
Myles Hamm / Mercyhurst University / Gr. / Midfield / Webster, NY.
Myles Hamm of Mercyhurst University claimed Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season. Hamm earned 14 points as the Lakers remain undefeated in conference play (3-0). Nine of Hamm’s 14 points came from goals-scored, including a five-goal performance against Davis & Elkins. Hamm ranks third in the conference in Goals Per Game at 3.73.
Women’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Jillian Rekulak / Ashland University / Sr. / Goalkeeper / Millstone Township, N.J.
Jillian Rekulak led the Eagles to a 2-0 week, including the program’s first win over Findlay. Rekulak recorded seven saves in both wins and allowed just seven goals per contest. She ranks third in the conference in Goals Against Average at 11.18.
Offensive
Chloe Tatlow / Walsh University/ Sr. / Midfield / Perth, Western Australia
Tatlow led the first-place Cavaliers to a victory over Tiffin. She totaled nine points in the win, including two goals, seven assists, three ground balls, and one caused turnover. Tatlow’s seven assists is the most assists in a game this season for Walsh. She currently ranks third in the conference in points per game (3.73) and second in assists (2.45).
Softball Pitcher
Joni Russell/ Hillsdale College / So. / Pitcher / Cable, Ohio
Joni Russell has been named Pitcher of the Week for the second consecutive week. Russel struck out 19 of the 24 batters-faced in a 4-0 victory over Malone, while giving up just one hit and two walks. The 19 strikeouts shattered the program record as the sophomore recorded her third straight shutout for the Chargers. Russell leads the conference in ERA (0.67) and OPB (.168).
Softball Player
Ashley Ziel / Northwood University / Fr. / Outfield / Caro, Mich.
Ashley Ziel hit an incredible .800 from the plate, slugging 1.600 while going 8-10 across four games. The Freshman collected two doubles, two home runs, and five RBIs. She also took three walks to increase her OBP to .846.
Men’s Tennis
Leon Grundstrom / Northwood University / Sr. / Hoganas, Sweden
Grundstrom led the Timberwolves to a pair of sweeps on the week, going 4-0 combined in No1. singles and doubles play. He recorded wins against opponents from Cedarville and Ashland.
Women’s Tennis
Rafaella Platsiota / Northwood University / So. / Athens, Greece
Rafaella Platsiota led Northwood to a pair of sweeps on the week, going 4-0 from the top singles and doubles position. Platsiota tabbed wins over opponents from Cedarville and Ashland from No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles.
Men’s Field
Orry Willems / University of Findlay / Jr. / Throws / Mol, Antwerp (Belgium)
Findlay’s Orry Willems had an outstanding performance over the weekend at the Gordon Bocock Invite. Willems won the hammer throw with a mark of 59.75m. His mark set a new facility record and qualified as an NCAA provisional.
Men’s Track
Josh Verhoff / University of Findlay / Sr. / Sprints / Kalida, Ohio
Verhoff had another successful performance over the weekend, hitting three NCAA provisional marks. He won the 100m dash with a time of 10.42 as well as the 200m dash with a 20.93 time. Verhoff’s time of 20.93 ranks as the 10
th best time in Division II to date. The senior was also a member of the 4x100 relay squad, who registered a qualifying time of 40.80.
Women’s Field
Trista Fintel / University of Findlay/ So. / Throws / North Canton, Ohio
Trista Fintel earned a first-place finish in two events over the weekend. She placed first in the discus with a throw of 45.50m. The next day, Fintel went on to win the hammer throw with an NCAA Provisional mark of 54.21, which currently ranks as the 15
th-best throw in the nation.
Women’s Track
Alaysia Brooks / Ursuline College / Jr. / Sprints / Berea, Ohio
Brooks won the 800m at the Grove City Mini Meet with a time of 2:09.70. She also placed third in the same event at the George Mason Ebanks Invitational, beating her previous time by .63 seconds. Brooks’ time of 2:09.07 is the fourth best in the NCAA at the Division II level.