North Coast Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week – Week of Oct. 10, 2023
Offensive Field Hockey Athlete of the Week – Amy Apfelbaum, DePauw
DePauw junior Amy Apfelbaum (Lake Villa, IL/Lakes) had a full weekend which resulted in her playing a role in five goals as the Tigers went 2-0 in conference play. Trailing Washington & Jefferson 1-0, Apfelbaum netted three-consecutive goals which helped left DePauw to an eventual 5-1 victory. Then in a 4-0 win over Allegheny, the junior recorded the first goal of the game and assisted on the team's last score.
Defensive Field Hockey Athlete of the Week – Ellie Conroy, Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan sophomore Ellie Conroy (Worthington, OH/Thomas Worthington) played a vital role in the Bishops' defense that allowed zero shots in shutout NCAC wins over Transylvania and Oberlin. Conroy and the Bishops' backline yielded only two penalty corners on the week, one in each game. The two shutouts increased Ohio Wesleyan's current streak to eight consecutive shutouts. Currently, Ohio Wesleyan ranks second in NCAA Division III in shutouts per game (0.73) and is one of only five undefeated teams in NCAA Division III.
Offensive Football Athlete of the Week – Liam Thompson, Wabash
Wabash senior quarterback Liam Thompson (Indianapolis, IN/North Central) registered 490 yards of total offense and accounted for six touchdowns in the Little Giants' 45-35 victory over Wooster. Thompson broke the NCAC career record for total offense after he finished the weekend with 11,238 career yards of offense to pass Ohio Wesleyan's Mason Espinosa (10,839). Thompson set another record for the longest touchdown pass in Wabash history with a 90-yard strike to Derek Allen, Jr. (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central) to give the Little Giants a 14-0 first-quarter lead. Thompson finished the game with a career-high 201 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. He threw for 289 yards and four touchdowns, completing 21-of-29 passes for 289 yards with one interception.
Defensive Football Athlete of the Week – Jake Comer, DePauw
DePauw junior Jake Comer (Danville, IN/Danville) recorded seven solo tackles and a strong defensive outing in the Tiger's 17-6 win over Denison. Additionally, Comer forced a fumble on a sack that resulted in a 17-yard loss that was picked up by teammate Ethan Lowry (Indianapolis, IN/ Heritage Christian) and returned for nine yards which set up DePauw's final score.
Men's Golf Athlete of the Week – Jaiden Koonar, Kenyon
Kenyon freshman Jaiden Koonar (Alberta, Canada/Webber Academy) finished eighth out of 96 golfers at the West Pines Collegiate after recording a final score of 143 (74-69). His two-round total was one over par and helped the owls jump from 10th after day one to tie for seventh in the final standings. The first-year carded seven birdies which led to a two-under 69, trying for the fourth-best individual mark in the final round. Koonar's 69 is the new low round for the Owls this season, and tied his own team-leading mark for a round this fall.
Women's Golf Athlete of the Week – Ally Siewert, Wooster
Wooster junior Ally Siewert (Northfield, OH/Nordonia) was the runner-up at the John Carroll University Fall Invitational with a 158 (80-78) over the weekend. Siewert led Wooster to its third tournament title of the fall, with that matching the single-season program record. This is the third time Wooster has won a trio of tournaments in a season.
Offensive Men's Soccer Athlete of the Week – Eamon Dujakovich, Kenyon
Kenyon junior Eamon Dujakovich (Lenexa, KS/Shawnee Mission West) helped the Owls secure two conference wins over Ohio Wesleyan and Denison this week. The junior lead the Kenyon offense with six shots and three shots on goal while tying for the team lead with one goal this past week. Dujakovich's insurance goal against the Battling Bishops helped clinch a 2-0 win, and his team-high four shots and two shots on goal against the Big Red helped the Owls apply pressure in a 1-0 victory.
Offensive Women's Soccer Athlete of the Week – Callie Davis, Denison
Denison senior Callie Davis (Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy) scored the first goal of the match and added an assist on the Big Red's second goal in a 4-0 win over Kenyon on Saturday. The two goals were the first of three that were scored for Denison in only a 42-second span, which is tied for the second-fastest span of three goals being scored by one team in NCAA Division III history. Davis' goal was good for the fifth game-winning goal of her career.
Defensive Women's Soccer Athlete of the Week – Kate Dalimonte, Denison
Denison junior Kate Dalimonte (Hingham, MA/Hingham), a lockdown defender and team leader in the back line, led the Big Red defense in a 4-0 shutout win over Kenyon on Saturday. In addition to helping the defense limit the Owls to just two total shots and one shot on goal in the second half, Dalimonte also scored Denison's final goal of the match in the 78th minute, putting a strike from 35 yards out off the post and in.
Men's Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week – Jeremy Stutzman
DePauw freshman Jeremy Stutzman (Goshen, IN/Goshen) led the Tigers in individual points (18) in a tough 172-97 loss to Rose-Hulman. Strutzman collected two first-place finishes and a second-place finish in his collegiate debut. He claimed titles in the 50 (26.23) and 100 (56.12) backstrokes. The freshman also swam the second leg on the 200-yard medley relay that took second place with a time of 1:39.33.
Women's Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week – Anya Melson, DePauw
DePauw first-year Anya Melson (Wheaton, IL/US Performance Academy) recorded three wins and a second-place finish for 18 individual points in the Tiger's season opening 188-75 win against Rose-Hulman. In her first collegiate outing, Melson had winning times in the 50 back (29.42) and 500 free (5:28.89) events. Additionally, the first-year swam the opening leg on the winning 200 medley relay, which clocked in at 1:54.78. Melson and her teammates also finished second in the 200 free relay with a time of 1:44.76.
Offensive Women's Volleyball Athlete of the Week – Olivia Karwin, DePauw
DePauw junior Olivia Karwin (Menifee, CA/Paloma Valley) recorded a triple-double and a double-double in the Tigers' 2-0 week. In a 3-0 win over Spalding, the junior collected 10 kills and 12 assists which was followed by an 11 kill, 19 assist, and 12 dig effort against Hiram. Over six sets, Karwin totaled 21 kills, .353 hitting percentage, 31 assists, four aces, 17 digs and one block.
Defensive Women's Volleyball Athlete of the Week – Ally White, Wittenberg
Wittenberg sophomore Ally White (Harrison, OH/Harrison) posted three double-digit dig efforts as the Tigers went 3-0 last week. White recorded 17 digs against Earlham on Tuesday, 18 digs against Mount Union on Friday, and 13 digs against Oberlin on Saturday. In total, the sophomore registered 48 digs, 39 receptions, three aces, and five assists as Wittenberg did not drop a single set to their opponents.
NCAC Milestones & Records (Oct. 2 – 8)
Denison, Women's Soccer – In a 4-0 win over Kenyon on Saturday, the Big Red netted three goals in only a 42-second span, which is tied for the second-fastest span of three goals being scored by one team in NCAA Division III history. Each of the three goals were scored by one of Denison's three seniors during their own Senior Day.
Ohio Wesleyan, Field Hockey – Sophomore forward Emma Wright (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) posted her first collegiate hat trick to lead Ohio Wesleyan to a NCAC win over Transylvania on Wednesday.
Ohio Wesleyan, Football - Ohio Wesleyan's 48-7 win over Kenyon on Saturday marked the first time in recorded history that the Battling Bishops football team won a game by that score.
Wabash, Football – Senior quarterback Liam Thompson (Indianapolis, IN/North Central) amassed 490 yards of total offense and accounted for six touchdowns in the Little Giants' 45-35 victory over Wooster. Thompson's efforts helped him break the NCAC career record for total offense held by Ohio Wesleyan's Mason Espinosa (hometown/HS). Thompson finished the weekend with 11,238 career yards of offense to pass Espinosa's career mark of 10,839. Thompson broke the record with by setting another record, this time for the longest touchdown pass in Wabash history with a 90-yard strike to Derek Allen, Jr. (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central) to give the Little Giants a 14-0 first-quarter lead.
Wooster, Women's Golf – The Fighting Scots' win at the John Carroll University Fall Invitational marked the program's third team title of the fall, tying the program's single-season record.