INDIANAPOLIS- The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for April 13th, 2026 are based on student-athlete performance from April 6th, 2026- April 12th, 2026.
Baseball
North Division
Pitcher:
Brandon Swope / Tiffin University/ RS So. / Pitcher / Andover, MN
Brandon Swope turned in another solid start on the mound. In the series-opening win over Northwood, Swope got the win throwing 6.0 innings and allowed zero runs. Swope scattered three hits and struck out six and the Dragons won the game 5-1.
Player:
Griff Cady / Tiffin University/ Fr. / Infield/ Toledo, Ohio
Griff Cady went 10 for 24 at the plate (.417 average) in six games during the week as the Dragons split with Findlay and Northwood. Cady recorded multi-hit efforts three times, scored 9 runs and blasted two home runs in the win against Findlay. Cady also recorded a double and went 2 for 2 in stolen bases.
South Division
Pitcher:
Jackson Schwalbach / Malone University / RS-Jr. / Pitcher / Tallmadge, Ohio
Jackson Schwalbach made two relief appearances where he combined for seven shutout innings and got the pitching win against KWC with two innings of work to keep a zero and preserve the tie game. He allowed just two hits, two walks and struck out two.
Player:
Eli Sutton / Walsh University / Sr. / Catcher / Cabot, Pa.
Eli led the Walsh offense this week going 6 for 14 with 10 RBI's on 4 doubles and 2 home runs. He was hit by pitch twice and walked 4 times.
Women’s Golf
Abby Thompson / Tiffin University/ Jr. / Ada, Mich.
Tiffin's Abby Thompson was the highest G-MAC finisher at the NC4K classic with a second-place finish. For the week, she averaged 73.5 per round.
Men’s Golf
Kosuke Tojo / Northwood University/ Sr. / Fujikawacho, Japan
Tojo was the top G-MAC finisher at the Ken Partridge Invitational, firing rounds of 69-72-77 to finish two-over par. His total of 218 was good for a fifth place finish in a field of 111 golers.
Men’s Outdoor Track
Ramon Rodriguez / Tiffin University / Sr. / Madrid, Spain
Ramon Rodriguez broke the G-MAC and school record in the 1500m at the Duke Invitational. It was the 31st fastest time in the history of D2. Ran 3:41.39 which was a 4 second PR. He was the third D2 finisher at the meet. He is ranked #5 in D2, #1 in the Midwest, and #1 in the G-MAC.
Men’s Outdoor Field
Alan De Falchi/ Lake Erie College / Gr. / Santo Andres Brazil
Alan de Falchi delivered another historic performance this week, winning the discus at the Akron Northeast Ohio Open with a throw of 59.10 meters. The mark broke his own Lake Erie program record and a nine-year-old G-MAC record, while also standing as the farthest throw in NCAA Division II this season.
Women’s Outdoor Field
Amelia Lutz / Hillsdale College/ So. / Celina, Ohio
Amelia Lutz won two events and recorded three provisional qualifying marks at the GVSU Al Owens Invite. Lutz won the shot put with a school-record setting mark of 16.27 meters, the second-best throw in NCAA DII to date this season and the second best shot put mark in G-MAC history. She also won the discus with a throw of 45.86 meters, fifth all-time in Hillsdale history and 35th nationally, and took third in the hammer throw with a mark of 53.56 meters, the 20th best mark nationally and ninth all-time at Hillsdale in the event.
Women’s Outdoor Track
Zanri Black / University of Findlay / So. / Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Zanri Black ran at the Tennessee Invite and finished 2nd in the 400 hurdles (59.73) which is 11th in DII and NCAA Provo. Black also finished runner-up in the 4x400 with a time 3:40.50 that is #2 in DII.
Men’s Lacrosse
Defensive:
Cullen Green / Seton Hill University/ Jr. /Defense/ Endicott, N.Y.
Cullen Green helped the Griffin defense to a pair of G-MAC wins. He finished the week with 6 caused turnovers and 9 ground balls. Cullen had 2 caused turnovers and 4 ground balls vs Point Park then added 4 caused turnovers and 5 ground balls in the battle for the top spot in the league vs Northwood.
Offensive:
Jayden Ashley / Davenport University/ Sr. / Attack/ Lawrenceville, N.Y.
Jayden Ashley led the team to a 24-4 win over Davis & Elkins with a career-high 14 points (third most in G-MAC History), the most in school history in the NCAA Division II era. Ashley also had six points (five goals and one assist) in a loss to UIndy.
Women’s Lacrosse
Defensive:
Annie Duncan / Ashland University / Sr. /Goalkeeper/ New Albany, Ohio
Ashland Eagle Annie Duncan found great play during two conference games totaling 14 saves. She aided in the Eagles to remain undefeated in the conference with a 6-0 record.
Offensive:
Ashley Fisher / Ashland University / Sr. / Midfield/ Sunbury, Ohio
Ashland Eagle Ashley Fisher found great play across two games for the Eagles with nine goals and two ground balls. She aided in the Eagles to remain undefeated in the conference with a 6-0 record.
Softball
Pitcher:
Ella Esterby / Tiffin University/ Jr. / Pitcher / Gahanna, Ohio
Tiffin Dragon Ella Esterby went 4-1 with a 0.76 ERA during the Dragons' 7-1 week. She had four complete games with two shutouts over 27.2 innings of work, fanning 30 and allowing just ten hits.
Player:
Tara Gall / Tiffin University/ Sr. / Outfield / Mantua, Ohio
Tiffin Dragon Tara Gall hit .538 during the Dragons' 7-1 week. She drove in 15 runs in eight games while drilling a home run and four doubles; additionally, having two walks and scoring four runs.
Men’s Tennis
Ross Trias / Walsh University/Fr. / Barcelona,Spain
Ross went undefeated at #1 singles and #1 doubles, posting impressive wins over Findlay and Tiffin. Trias remains undefeated (6-0) in the G-MAC at #1 singles and improved his overall singles record to 21-6.
Women’s Tennis
Savannah Matuszewski / Northwood University/ Sr. / Midland,Mich.
Savannah Matuszewski posted a 4-0 record for Northwood in a pair of wins last week, leading Northwood to wins over Kentucky Wesleyan and Thomas More. She won a pair of straight-set matches at the No. 1 position in singles. She also teamed with Danijela Danilovic to go 2-0 at No. 1 doubles, winning their two matches by a combined score of 12-1.