INDIANAPOLIS- The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for March 1, 2025 are based on student-athlete performance from February 24th, 2025- March 2nd, 2025.
Baseball
North Division
Pitcher
Scotty Adelman/ Tiffin University / Sr. / Pitcher / Norwalk, Ohio
The Dragons opened up their spring break with a win against West Virginia Wesleyan. Adelman led the charge with his second win of the season, throwing a 7-inning complete game while striking out nine.
Player
Will Lehman/ Hillsdale College / Fr. / First Base / Dallas, TX
Lehman hit a .500 batting average with four doubles and a home run to help Hillsdale go 4-0 this past week. He also contributed 10 RBIs, with his best game occurring in a 20-7 Charger victory over UIndy. There he went 3-6 with two doubles and four RBIs.
South Division
Pitcher
Jacob Rollyson/ Malone University / Jr / Pitcher / Green, Ohio
Rollyson and the Pioneers were impressive against UPJ. The pitcher threw a complete game shutout through seven innings, giving up just five hits en route to striking out eight batters.
Player
CJ Dean/ Ohio Dominican University / Rs-Jr. / Outfield / Columbus, Ohio
Ohio Dominican got an elite week out of Dean he hit .417 on the week through four games. He finished with five hits, three runs, two home runs and nine RBIs His standout game came in an outing where he recorded two home runs and eight RBIs in a single game, setting the D-II era record at ODU and tied for second in the conference record books.
Men’s Basketball
Elijah Watson/ Northwood University / Gr. / Forward /Chicago Heights, Ill.
Watson led Northwood to a strong finish to the season. On the week, he averaged nearly 20 points and seven rebounds a game. He shot 76.5 percent from the floor and 92.3 percent from the free throw line. He had 18 points and six rebounds in Northwood's road win at Lake Erie. Watson then scored 21 points while grabbing eight rebounds in a victory at Tiffin.
Women’s Basketball
Lauren McDonald/ Hillsdale College / Sr. / Guard / Chicago
McDonald led Hillsdale with a career high 30 points and 10 rebounds as the Chargers won 68-61 on the road at Malone to secure a runner-up finish in the G-MAC standings and the program's best regular season record in 16 years. She now ranks sixth or better in the G-MAC in points, rebounds, assists and steals per game and is in the top 10 in both shooting percentage and free throw percentage.
Men’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Gabriel Henin/ Wheeling University / Sr. / Defender / Ontario
Hennin played a key role for Wheeling on both ends of the field. He caused three turnovers and grabbed four ground balls throughout the day in a 7-6 win over Davenport. On the final play of the day, Hennin forced a caused turnover with three seconds to go and chucked the ball downfield to Jack Rowe. Rowe would find the back of the net and secure the Cardinal's walk-off win over the Panthers with Hennin earning the assist.
Offensive
Spencer Lethbridge / Thomas More University / Jr. / Attack / Cleveland, Ohio
The Saints relied upon Lethbridge, and he did not disappoint. He recorded six goals and one assist all while committing no turnovers. In Thomas More’s win over Northwood, Lethbridge has two goals and the game winner, one assist, and three points. He had five shots with three on goal and no turnovers.
Women’s Lacrosse
Defensive
Sadie Wermuth/ Tiffin University / So. / Goalkeeper / Stanwood, WA
Wermuth played the final 15 minutes in goal in Saturday's Tiffin win against Davis & Elkins. She made 6 saves to preserve the Dragons’ win.
Offensive
Ashley Fisher/ Ashland University / Jr. / Midfield / Sunbury, Ohio
Fisher had seven goals and five assists for 12 points this past week while the Eagles went 1-1 on the week.
Softball
Pitcher
Ella Esterby/ Tiffin University/ So. /Pitcher/ Gahanna, Ohio
Esterby went 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA during the Dragons’ week where they went undefeated. She had a complete game shutout in a 8-0 win over Pitt-Johnstown while totaling 13 strikeouts in nine innings of action.
Player
Kenzie Woods/ University of Findlay/ Fr. /Infield/ Lakeville, Ohio
The Oilers went 4-0 this week with two wins. Woods batted .500 with two triples, a home run, and nine RBIs. All of those hits came in the doubleheader against UIS where she went 8-for-10. In game 2 vs UIS, Woods had 7 RBI which set a new UF program record for single-game RBI.
STUNT
Alyssa McLaughlin/ Ashland University/ Sr. / Flyer / Kenton, Ohio
The Eagles went 3-0 this past week in Erie, Pa.. McLaughlin was a key reason for the success as she notched a program-record 68 points vs. CMU, 33 points against NKU, and 51 points against Mercyhurst.
Men’s Tennis
Max Wild/ Northwood University / Sr. / Vienna, Austria
Wild went 4-0 on the week for Northwood at the No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles position. He teamed with Juan Perez Garcia to go 2-0 at No. 1 doubles. Wild then won two three-set matches at No. 1 singles.
Women’s Tennis
Elina Ivanova/ University of Findlay/ Sr. / Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
Ivanova won at No. 2 doubles (6-4), tying the UF program record for doubles wins in a career in the process. She also won at No. 2 singles 6-2, 3-6, 1-0 (10-3).