INDIANAPOLIS- The Great Midwest Athletes of the week for September 14th, 2026 are based on student-athlete performance from September 8th, 2026- September 13th, 2026.
Men’s Cross Country
Sam Smith / Northwood University / Sr. / Petoskey, Mich.
Sam Smith opened his season with an individual victory at Northwood’s 7th Annual Invitational, winning the men’s four-mile race in 20:12.4. Smith led the men’s team to a third place finish with 51 points.
Women’s Cross Country
Allison Kuzma / Hillsdale College / Jr. / Zeeland, Mich.
Kuzma won the Michigan State Spartan Invitational, topping the field that included seven Division I teams. The invitational was headlined by Big Ten power schools such as Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State. Kuzma finished her 6K with a time of 20:43.7, the top G-MAC time to date this season.
Football
Defense: Joe Lathers / Northwood University / Sr. / Linebacker / Jackson, Mich.
Lathers helped the Northwood defense in a 35-28 win over school rivals Saginaw Valley in the 51st Axe Bowl. Lathers recorded 10 tackles, 1 TFL, and topped it all off with a forced fumble. The forced fumble happened in the final quarter of play with Northwood up by seven points. This is the third Axe Bowl Northwood has won and the second time they have won three consecutive Axe Bowls in the history of the event.
Offense: Tutt Carrico / Hillsdale College / Jr. / Wide Receiver / Owensboro, Kentucky
Carrico had five receptions for a total of 111 yards and three touchdowns in a 49-0 win against Wayne State on Saturday. His longest touchdown came in the 2nd quarter when quarterback Eli Boyce launched it deep down the left side of the field to him for a 48-yard TD. Carrico also added 47 yards on the ground on two carries. After Saturday's game, Carrico currently leads the G-MAC in receptions for touchdowns with four.
Special Teams: Curtis Thomas / Lake Erie College / Jr. / Wide Receiver / Cleveland, Ohio
After leading Wheeling by just three at half, Lake Erie’s Curtis Thomas took back the second-half opening kickoff 100 yards to the house to put the Storm up 16-7. This was Thomas’s first kick return for a touchdown as a member of the Storm.
Women’s Golf
Ellie Yeazell / University of Findlay / Grad Sr. / Westchester, Ohio
The Oilers went up against a slew of D1 Power Four programs in the Folds of Honor Collegiate at American Dunes Golf Club. Findlay finished 10th out of 12 teams, and Yeazell finished T32 with rounds of 80, 72, and 71. Her 71 was the lowest round of the event by a Findlay player.
Men’s Soccer
Offensive:
Brady Johnson / Cedarville University / Fr. / Midfielder / Charlotte, NC
Johnson scored his first two collegiate goals to spark Cedarville to a 4-1 G-MAC win over Ashland. His goals came back-to-back in the 56th and 58th minutes and were part of a three-goal second-half run made by the Yellow Jackets.
Defensive:
Tanner Brentlinger / Tiffin University / Sr. / Defender / Middletown, Del.
Tiffin recorded two big shutouts last week against Ashland and Malone. Brentlinger was a part of the Dragons' defense that allowed 3 total shots on goal during the two shutout games. Brentlinger also made an impact on offense by scoring the first goal of his career. This was one of two total goals in the team's 2-0 win over Malone.
Women’s Soccer
Offensive:
Tessa Blain / Ashland University / So. / Forward / Springboro, Ohio
The Eagles went 2-0 last week with a 1-0 win at Tiffin and an 8-0 win vs. Ursuline. Blain had 3 goals and an assist for 7 points. She scored her first two goals of the season against Ursuline.
Defensive:
Lindsay Jacob / Northwood University / Sr. / Goalkeeper / St. Clair Shores, Mich.
Lindsay Jacob led Northwood to another 2-0 week with back-to-back shutouts against Ursuline and Walsh. She played all 180 minutes, recording 10 saves total. Jacob surpassed 300 career saves last week, becoming the third player in program history to reach that milestone.
Volleyball
North Division
Hannah Miller / University of Findlay / Sr. / Outside Hitter / Tiffin, Ohio
The Oilers went 1-1 last weekend, being swept by Ashland, then sweeping Tiffin. Miller had 32 kills, 18 digs, 3 blocks, while hitting .236 on 82 attacks, accounting for 37% of Findlay’s attacks for the week.
South Division
Madelyn Hensley / Cedarville University / Sr. / Outside Hitter / Dover, Del.
Hensley totaled 27 kills and 8 blocks to lead Cedarville to home wins over Cedarville and Northwood. This starts the Yellow Jackets at 2-0 in the G-MAC schedule.
East Division
Jenna Shedden / Ashland University / So. / Outside Hitter / Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Ashland went 2-0 this weekend, sweeping both Findlay and Kentucky Wesleyan. Shedden recorded 21 kills, 23 digs, and 2 blocks over the six sets.