INDIANAPOLIS- The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for February 16th, 2026 are based on student-athlete performance from February 9th, 2026- February 15th, 2026.
 
Baseball
North Division
Pitcher:
Patrick Maclean / Hillsdale College / Sr. / Pitcher / Birmingham, Alabama
Patrick MacLean leads Hillsdale with a 1.29 ERA and has contributed to two of the Chargers’ three wins in the first two weeks of the season. MacLean pitched four innings in Hillsdale’s 14-9, 15-inning win over Montevallo. He also threw the final three innings in a 7-3 victory over Lincoln Memorial, allowing just one hit and no earned runs while earning the win.
 
 
Player:
Jake Figman / Hillsdale College / So. / Outfield / Palm City, Fl.
Jake Figman hit .381 with three doubles, one home run, and five RBIs in five games against Montevallo and Lincoln Memorial. He recorded four multi-hit games during the stretch. Against Montevallo, Figman delivered an RBI single that forced extra innings and later hit a solo home run in the 15th inning. In an 11-7 win over Lincoln Memorial, he blasted a game-tying two-run double in the ninth inning.
 
 
South Division
Pitcher:
Evan Oakley / Kentucky Wesleyan College / Sr. / Pitcher / Gilbertsville, Ky.
Evan Oakley struck out nine batters and allowed just one run over 6.0 innings in an 11-1 victory over Davis & Elkins.
 
Player:
Liam Hutson / Kentucky Wesleyan College / So. / Outfield / Louisville, Ky.
Liam Hutson went 7-for-14 with a double, two home runs, three walks, and six runs scored as the Panthers took three of four games from Davis & Elkins. Hutson hit a grand slam and drove in five RBIs in game three. He followed that performance by going a perfect 5-for-5 with a double, home run, three RBIs, three runs scored, and a walk in game four.
Men’s Basketball
Anthony Ruffolo / Cedarville University / Jr. / Guard / Dayton, Ohio
Anthony Ruffolo averaged 20.5 points per game to help Cedarville snap a five-game losing streak. He scored 19 points in a 74-62 home win over Ashland, ending Ashland’s five-game winning streak. Ruffolo then tallied 22 points, nine rebounds, six steals, and three assists in a 73-60 road win at Northwood.
 
Women’s Basketball
Jazmyn Wheeler / Ohio Dominican University/ Jr./ Guard / Winfield, WV
Jazmyn Wheeler averaged 18.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in a 2-0 week for Ohio Dominican. She shot .652 (15-of-23) from the field and made four three-pointers. Wheeler scored 18 points with nine rebounds off the bench against Ursuline and added 19 points in a win over Findlay.
 
 
Men’s Lacrosse
Defensive:
Will Cody / Seton Hill University/ RS Sr. /Goalkeeper/ Pottstown, Pa.
Will Cody recorded 12 saves while allowing just seven goals in Seton Hill’s season-opening win over No. 10 Lewis.
 
 
Offensive:
Jayden Ashley / Davenport University/ Sr. / Attack/ Lawrenceville, NY
Jayden Ashley led Davenport to a 17-16 victory over Madonna, recording 10 points on seven goals and three assists.
 
 
Women’s Lacrosse
Defensive:
Annie Duncan / Ashland University/ Sr. /Goalkeeper/ New Albany, Ohio
Annie Duncan led the Eagles to an opening day victory over Charleston. Duncan played in the first 45 minutes of the game, allowing just three goals and making six saves on the day.
 
Offensive:
Cam English / Malone University/ R-Sr. / Attack/ Louisville, Ohio
Malone’s Cam English totaled eight points in a 17-5 win at Saginaw Valley state. Her eight points included six goals and two assists.
 
Men’s Indoor Field
Brayden Jackson / Ashland University / Fr. / Mansfield, Ohio
Ashland Eagle Brayden Jackson competed at the SPIRE College Indoor Games, he vaulted at 5.25 meters/17-feet-2 ¾ /  This vault allowed him to be No. 5 in Division II.
 
Men’s Indoor Track
Colton Thress / Ashland University/ Jr. / Lancaster, Ohio
Ashland Eagle Colton Thress during the Grand Valley State meet found a 1:48.87 800-meter time, allowing him to be No. 7 in the Division II ladder.  He also was a part of the men’s distance medley relay that broke a school record and became No. 7 in the nation.
 
Women’s Indoor Field
Colleen Steinmetz / University of Findlay/ So. / Ansonia, Ohio
Findlay’s Colleen Steinmetz earned athlete of the week honors for the second consecutive week. Steinmetz won the pole vault at the Tiffin Robinson Open, hitting a provisional mark of 4.05m She currently holds the seventh-best mark in all of Division II
 
Women’s Indoor Track
Leah Smith / University of Findlay/ Jr. / Tiffin, Ohio
Findlay Oiler Leah Smith competed in the Grand Valley State meet where she won the 200-meter with a  time of 23.93, a personal best, second-fastest time in school history and the fourth best time in Division II this season.  She was also a member of the 4x400 meter relay that won with a mark of 3:41.51, earning an automatic bid into the national championship and posting the second-best time in the country this year.
 
 
Softball
Pitcher:
Ella Esterby / Tiffin University / Jr. / Pitcher / Gahanna, Ohio
Tiffin Dragons Ella Estreby went 1-0 in two appearances at the Lincoln Memorial Invitational.  She found a complete game win in a 8-0 victory over Bluefield State.  SHe allowed just four hits and fanned ten of the 18 batters she faced.  She found an overall 15 strikeouts in 7.2 innings of work with a .91 ERA.
 
Player:
Kennedy Matheis / Kentucky Wesleyan College / Sr. / Catcher / Jasper, Ind.
Kentucky Wesleyan Panther Kennedy Matheis went 4-7 with a double and two home runs in the teams double header against Shorter College.  Matheis hit a walk-off three run shot to secure a win in game two.
 
STUNT
Karli Liming / Tiffin University/ Jr. / Amanda, Ohio
The Amanda, Ohio native powered the Dragons to a 3-1 weekend, including a top-10 victory. Liming was Tiffin’s highest-rated player with a 139 power rating as the Dragons defeated Northern Kentucky, Aquinas, and Purdue.
 
Men’s Tennis
Martin Driesner / Tiffin University/ Jr. / Andilly, France
Martin Driesner went 2-1 in singles and 2-1 in doubles during the Dragons’ 3-0 week. He earned doubles wins over No. 9 Grand Valley State and No. 20 Davenport. Driesner also claimed a three-set singles victory over Purdue Northwest, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
 
 
Women’s Tennis
Liv-Grete Laarman / University of Walsh / So. / Kakenstorf, Germany
Liv-Grete Laarman won the deciding match at No. 5 singles, 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (7-5), to lift Walsh to a 4-3 regional victory over Davenport.