INDIANAPOLIS- The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for November 10th, 2024 are based on student-athlete performance from November 3rd, 2024- November 10th, 2024.
Men’s Basketball
Maceo Williams / Ashland University/ Jr. / Forward / Gahanna, Ohio
Williams’ last second shot lifted the Eagle’s to their first victory of the season at Grand Valley State 68-66. Williams finished the game with 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Women’s Basketball
Hayley Smith / Ashland University/ Sr. / Forward / Canton, Ohio
Smith scored her 1,000th career point during Ashland’s victory against UIndy (71-47). She shot 78.9 percent from the field, averaging 16.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists.
Football
Defense: Drake Badger / Hillsdale College/ So. / Defensive End / Verona, Wisc.
Drake Badger led Hillsdale in numerous categories in the team’s win on Saturday. In the upset performance over the Tiffin Dragons, Badger recorded nine total tackles, three for a loss and helped pressure the quarterback numerous times. He was a critical piece in helping hold the Dragons offense to just 248 total yards of offense, and just 38 yards on the ground on 24 attempts.
Offense: TC Molk / Walsh University / R-So. / Quarterback / Dover , Ohio
In upset fashion, TC Molk was pivotal in helping Walsh take down the Ashland Eagles, 24-10, on Saturday. He led the Cavaliers’ offense with 314 yards and two passing touchdowns on 19-of-22 through the air. His two touchdowns came on 83 and 91-yard plays. Heading into the game, Ashland was undefeated in conference play and No. 5 in the region.
Special Teams: Redd Douglas / University of Findlay / Sr. / Wide Receiver / Youngstown, Ohio
As the No. 24 nationally ranked Oilers improved to 9-1 on the season, they took home a hearty 27-17 victory over the Northwood Timberwolves. Red Douglas was key in helping Findlay take home the win as he returned three kicks for 108 yards, setting up the offense with good positioning all day long. He also tacked on six receptions for 92 yards and a touchdown in the receiving game.
Men’s Soccer
Defensive:
Pavel Valchev / Kentucky Wesleyan College/ Jr. / Defender/ Varna, Bulgaria
Valchev led a Panthers defense that allowed just one goal vs. Lake Erie in the G-MAC Quarterfinals on Sunday. He then went on to net the match-winning penalty kick that sent Wesleyan to their first ever G-MAC Semifinals appearance.
Offensive:
Andres Eizaga / Malone University / Jr. / Defense / Jestetten, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Eizaga scored two goals early in the second half against Walsh, closing the year for the Pioneers with a 3-1 victory. These two goals were the junior defender’s first of the season.
Women’s Soccer
Defensive:
Amelia Henderhan / Malone University / So./ Goalkeeper/ Louisville, Ohio
Henderhan had an impressive showing in the Pioneer’s battle against Walsh, making six saves on the 16 shots on goal. Their victory (2-1) clinched Malone a spot in the G-MAC Championship Quarterfinals.
Offensive:
McKinley Mendenhall / Ashland University/ Sr. / Forward/ Ashland, Ohio
The Eagles finished off their regular season with a 4-1 victory at Northwood, with two goals coming from Mendenhall in the first half. This is Mendenhall’s second brace of the season and her 30th career goal for Ashland.
Men’s Swimming & Diving
Joey Lenczyk / Ashland University/ Jr. / Huron, Ohio
Lenczyk had an impressive weekend, taking first in both the 1-meter diving and 3-meter diving competitions vs. Malone on Friday and vs. Heidelberg on Saturday. His best score at 1-meter was 248.75 points and at 3-meter was 288.70.
Women’s Swimming & Diving
Megan Clifford / Hillsdale College/ Sr. / Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Clifford was Hillsdale’s only event winner in a duel with NCAA DI program Bowling Green, taking first in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:12.16. She also placed third in the 100 butterfly (57.81) and swam a leg on a runner-up 200 freestyle relay (1:42.70) despite the difficult competition.
Volleyball
North Division
Maizie Brown / Hillsdale College/ Sr./ Middle Hitter/ Portage, Mich.
Maizie Brown had a dominant weekend at the net for the Chargers en route to sweeps over Findlay and Tiffin. She averaged 2.5 kills per set with a hitting percentage of .517 all while not recording a single attacking error. With her pristine play offensively, she complimented it on the defensive side too. Against the Oilers, she recorded four blocks which moves her block-per-set mark to 1.0 on the year, good for seventh in the G-MAC.
South Division
Ashley Aselage / Ohio Dominican University / Jr. / Right Side / Tipp City, Ohio
Ohio Dominican was able to go 1-1 this past week. Leading the offense for the Panthers was Aselage who totaled 18 kills, averaging out to 2.57 kills per set. In the hitting percentage category, she finished with a mark of .325.
East Division
Jayme Zoeckler / Walsh University / Sr. / Setter /Northfield, Ohio
The Cavaliers went an impressive 2-0 on the week. Zoeckler helped the Panthers earn victories over the Panthers and the YellowJackets with a total of 75 assists and 26 digs. She also recorded three blocks and three kills.
Wrestling
Nate Knowlton / University of Findlay/ So. / Mokena, Ill.
Knowlton finished in fifth place at the Michigan State Open in the 133-pound weight class for freshmen/sophomores. He finished with a 4-2 overall record on the weekend which included a stellar 21-6 tech fall win over Grand Valley States, Collin Twigg. His other three wins came in an 11-2 major decision, a 9-8 decision and a 9-7 decision.