INDIANAPOLIS--The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for April 24, 2023 are based on student-athlete performance from April 17, 2023-April 23, 2023.
Baseball
North Division
Pitcher
Derek Clark / Northwood University / Jr. / Pitcher / Petersburg, Mich.
Clark tossed a nine-inning complete game shutout in a series against Ashland. He struck out nine batters while allowing only five hits on the day as the Timberwolves went on to win 9-0. In addition to earning his eighth win this season, Clark tied the school record with 21 career victories in 234 innings-pitched. He leads the conference in wins, innings-pitched, and strikeouts.
Player
Cam Hollobaugh / Walsh University / So. / Infield / Warren, Ohio
Cam Hollobaugh led the Cavaliers to two victories on the week to improve to 20-15 overall. Hollobaugh was 8-13 from the plate for an average of 0.615. His eight hits included two doubles and one home run for seven RBIs. Hollobaugh is currently 10
th in the conference in hitting with an average of .367 this season.
South Division
Jack Keele / Trevecca Nazarene University/ So. / Pitcher / McMinnville, Tenn.
Trevecca’s Jack Keele earned his fifth win this season in a complete game shutout against Findlay. Keele registered a 0.00 ERA while allowing just one hit. He threw eight strikeouts in his second consecutive complete game.
Player
Jack Mathey / Ohio Dominican University/ So. / Catcher / Copley, Ohio
Jack Mathey earned Player of the Week honors for the south division after posting a .500 average at the plate. Mathey was 11-20 in five wins for the Panthers. His 11 hits included one double and five home runs for 10 RBIs. He totaled 15 runs-scored and recorded a slugging percentage of 1.350.
Men’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Joseph Rush / Walsh University / So. / Faceoff / Pittsburgh, Pa.
Joseph Rush led the Cavaliers to a 21-0 shutout over Thomas More. Rush won 14/15 faceoffs (.933) and picked up 11 ground balls. He currently ranks fifth in the league in ground balls per game at 4.23.
Offensive
Vincent Cogliandro / Seton Hill University / Jr. / Attack / Manlius, NY.
Seton Hill’s Vincent Cogliandro led the Griffins in scoring in a loss to No. 7 Tampa. Cogliandro tabbed five goals and one assist in a 10-8 loss.
Women’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Jillian Rekulak / Ashland University / Sr. / Goalkeeper / Millstone Township, NJ.
Rekulak led the Eagles to a 1-1 week, allowing just 12 goals in two games. She totaled 13 saves, including ten against Findlay. Against Tiffin, the Senior goalkeeper broke the school record for goals allowed in a single game at one.
Offensive
Chloe Tatlow / Walsh University/ Sr. / Midfield / Perth, Western Australia
Tatlow earned Offensive Player of the Week honors for the second occasion this season. Tatlow had a perfect shot percentage in Walsh’s first program win at Findlay. She was four-of-four on the day and picked up one ground ball for the first-place Cavaliers.
Softball Pitcher
Erin Kapteyn/ Hillsdale College / Jr. / Pitcher / Delton, Mich.
Erin Kapteyn registered a 2-0 week with just one run conceded. She struck out six batters and picked up a crucial 5-1 victory for the Chargers in a split with Northwood. Kapteyn pitched a two-hitter with two strikeouts over Ursuline and recorded an ERA of 0.75 for the week.
Softball Player
Braxton Downs / Ohio Dominican University / Sr. / First Base / Louisville, Ky.
Braxton Downs started in all eight games last week at the first base position. She went 18-31 from the plate for an average of .581. Downs’ 18 hits included six doubles and two home runs for 12 RBIs. She had a slugging percentage of .968 and was perfect in the field with 65 putouts and six assists.
Men’s Field
Gabe Miller / Walsh University/ Sr. / Throws / Alexandria, Ohio
Miller finished sixth in the discus in a field of Division One athletes at the Jesse Owens Classic. He was the highest Division Two finisher in the event with a mark of 53.13m. Miller’s mark is currently ranked 10
th in all of D2.
Men’s Track
Mitchel Dunham / Walsh University/ Jr. / Distance / Boardman, Ohio
Mitchel Dunham earned Men’s Track Athlete of the week after winning the 3,000 steeplechase at Ohio State’s Jesse Owens Classic. Dunham registered a time of 9:02.93, hitting an NCAA Provisional Mark. His time is ranked No. 16 in the country.
Women’s Field
Trista Fintel / University of Findlay/ So. / Throws / Deshler, Ohio
Fintel earned runner-up status at the Jesse Owens Classic in shot put with a mark of 15.49. Her mark now ranks third in Division II this season. Additionally, Fintel finished fourth in the hammer throw with a 56.94m mark, also an NCAA provisional at No. 10.
Women’s Track
Kylie Ray / University of Findlay / Jr. / Hurdles / Pinckney, Mich.
Findlay swept the women’s track awards this week as Kylie Ray earned Track Athlete of the Week. Ray was the runner-up in the 400m hurdles in a competitive field of Division I athletes. She posted a provisional time of 59.61, which ranks as the fourth-best time this season.