MIAC Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week
Hamline University junior center Carl Hipp (Little Canada, Minn./Totino-Grace) averaged a double-double for the week while shooting over 71 percent from the field as he led Hamline to a 3-0 week. He also joined the 1,000 career point club in the process. Hipp averaged 26.7 ppg, 10.7 rpg, three blocks per game and shot 71.4 percent (30-42) from the field. He also made 80.0 percent of his free throws (20-25). In Monday night's 86-83 win over Concordia, Hipp tallied 22 points and pulled down six boards He then had 29 points, 14 rebounds, and five blocks in an 87-71 win over a Bethel team that had won three straight and five of six. In the 66-63 win over second-place Gustavus on Saturday, Hipp again had 29 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.
MIAC Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week
Hamline University junior center Mary Wilkowski (Savannah, Ga./St. Andrews) led Hamline to a 3-0 week as they improved a 6-9 MIAC record to 9-9 and climbed back into playoff contention. Along the way the Pipers picked off the top two teams in the conference. Wilkowski had the team highs in both points and rebounds in all three games. She started off the week with 19 points and 10 rebounds in a 75-63 win over Concordia. She then had nearly 25 percent of the Pipers points in a 45-40 win over Bethel as she tallied 11 points and pulled down 11 rebounds. Wilkowski finished the week with 19 points and eight rebounds in a 69-65 win over Gustavus. She shot 60.0 percent from the field for the week (21-of-35) and helped the Pipers break the MIAC record for team field goal percentage in a game when they shot 70.3 percent from the field in Saturday's win over Gustavus. Wilkowski totaled six blocks, four steals, and four assists in the three games and was just shy of averaging a double-double with 16.3 ppg and 9.7 rpg.
MIAC Men's Hockey Co-Athlete of the Week
Hamline University senior forward Kyle Kurr (Elk River, Minn.) had a six-point weekend with three goals and three assists as #10-ranked Hamline swept Saint John's. In Thursday night's 5-4 come-from-behind road win, Kurr had an assist on the second Piper goal and scored the game-tying goal at 10:43 in the third. He then passed the puck to Brian Arrigoni for the game-winner with just over a minute remaining in the game, tallying his second assist of the night. In Saturday's 5-2 win in Saint Paul, Kurr scored the second Piper goal to break a 1-1 tie on a power play late in the first period. He then scored the fourth Piper goal and had an assist on the final Hamline score. The sweep allowed the Pipers to clinch their third straight MIAC playoff berth.
MIAC Men's Hockey Co-Athlete of the Week
Gustavus Adolphus College junior goaltender Josh Swartout (St. Louis Park, Minn.) registered 45 saves and allowed one goal in two games to help the Gusties claim a sweep of Concordia by the scores of 5-1 and 2-0 last weekend. Swartout made 26 saves and allowed one goal in Friday night's 5-1 win in St. Peter and then on Saturday, Swartout made 19 saves and recorded the shutout as Gustavus claimed a 2-0 victory. Swartout, who leads the MIAC in goals against average at 2.21, stopped 45 of the 46 shots that he faced during the weekend. The Gusties lead the MIAC with record of 9-1-2 (20 points) and are rated #8 in the USCHO.com Division III poll.
MIAC Women's Hockey Athlete of the Week
St. Catherine University junior goaltender Mel Gerten (Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) stopped 59 shots, and gave up only one goal, as St. Kate's swept Bethel to remain in second place in the MIAC standings. In Friday's 2-1 Wildcat victory, Gerten stopped 38 of 39 shots she faced. The only goal she surrendered came on a 5-on-3 power play situation. On Saturday, she stopped all 21 shots she faced and picked up her second shutout of the season as SCU defeated Bethel 1-0 in overtime.
MIAC Men's Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week
University of St. Thomas sophomore Erik Huls (Farmington, Minn.) had a terrific meet for the Tommies at the Minnesota Challenge over the weekend at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. On Saturday, Huls was the top MIAC finisher in the 100 butterfly (51.94) and had a 49.39 split on the 400 freestyle relay team that was the top MIAC-placing team. Huls also swam a 51.48 split on the first-place 400 medley relay team, a 22.64 split for the third-place 200 medley relay team, and a 21.34 split on the 200 freestyle relay that placed fourth. Individually, Huls added strong performances in the 50 freestyle (21.80) and the 100 freestyle (48.79).
MIAC Women's Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week
St. Olaf College senior Jamie Fredeen (Burnsville, Minn.) had a strong showing for the Oles in the highly competitive Minnesota Challenge held over the weekend at the University of Minnesota Aquatic Center. Swimming a variety of events, Fredeen's top finish was fourth-place in the 1650 freestyle (18:17.46). She also swam the 500 freestyle (5:21.07), the 400 IM (4:50.13), and the 200 breaststroke (2:37.21).
MIAC Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
Bethel University senior Joel Quick (Johnston, Iowa) won the 200 meter dash in a personal best time of 22.57 and was part of the Bethel 4x400 meter relay team that broke a school record and provisionally qualified for nationals with a time of 3:20.97 at last weekend's Bethel Invitational. Quick was also the second fastest MIAC runner in the 55 meter dash, placing fourth overall in a time of 6.61.
MIAC Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
Hamline University sophomore Andrew Schlichting (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) placed second in the 35# weight throw with a toss of 17.40 meters (57' 1") at UW-Superior's Border Battle over the weekend. Schlichting's distance is a NCAA provisional qualifying mark, currently 14th best in the nation, and his personal best throw.
MIAC Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week
University of St. Thomas senior Kelly Russ (Plymouth, Minn./Wayzata) finished first in the mile at the Wartburg Select Meet. Her time of 4:58.76 was an NCAA provisional qualifying mark that places her fourth on the NCAA Division III National Performance List. Russ now sits atop the MIAC mile list by over ten seconds.
MIAC Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week
St. Olaf College senior Amie Fillmore (White Bear Lake, Minn.) improved to sixth on the NCAA Division III National Performance List with her pole vault of 3.66 meters (12'). Her jump which won the Carleton Quadrangular, places her atop the MIAC Performance List by over a foot, and was 1 centimeter away from her own St. Olaf school record.