Crossroads League Announces Athletes of the Week | April 1-7
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League Athletes of the Week were announced on Monday, recognizing the league’s top individual performances from April 1 through 7. Sports Information Directors from the league institutions nominate student-athletes for the awards and vote on each week’s winners.
Baseball Player of the Week
Sam Gladd, Taylor
Gladd fueled No. 18 Taylor’s sweep of Bethel by hitting .429 in the four-game series and driving in 10 runs. In addition to the RBI total, Gladd homered once, tripled once and scored five runs for the Trojans.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Drue Young, Indiana Wesleyan
Young led IWU to a 3-0 win over Mount Vernon Nazarene with seven scoreless innings on the bump. The junior got the win and allowed just two hits and one walk while fanning eight Cougars.
Softball Player of the Week
Emmalee Hamp, Spring Arbor
Hamp powered SAU to a 6-0 week by hitting .579 with a 1.316 slugging percentage over 19 at bats. Mixed in those results were three home runs, three doubles, one triple, nine runs scored and seven runs batted in.
Softball Pitcher of the Week
Emmalee Hamp, Spring Arbor
Hamp made five appearances in the circle for SAU, closing the week with a 3-0 record, one save and one complete game. In her 19 innings of work, Hamp allowed just 14 hits and three walks, posting an ERA of 0.74 and fanning 18 batters.
Men’s Outdoor TF Track Athlete of the Week
Olivier Lifrange, Marian
Lifrange hit A-standards in each of his events for Marian at the Tennessee Invite, breaking the Marian record in the 4×400-meter relay with a time of 3:12.05 and posting MU’s second-best time in the 400-meters at 48.08.
Men’s Outdoor TF Field Athlete of the Week
Dan Heinig, Indiana Wesleyan
Heinig won the shot put and took second at the discus for Indiana Wesleyan at the Lee Invitational. The senior automatically qualified for NAIA Nationals with his winning distance of 49.71 meters in the shot put.
Women’s Outdoor TF Track Athlete of the Week
Annika Alderfer Fisher, Goshen
Alderfer Fisher broke her own school record and automatically qualified for NAIA Nationals with a first-place time of 4:34.42 in the 1,500-meters. The senior also added a second-place showing in the 800-meters.
Women’s Outdoor TF Field Athlete of the Week
Princess Kara, Indiana Wesleyan
Kara led Indiana Wesleyan at the Lee Invitational by scoring first-place finishes and A-standard marks in the shot put and discus. Kara turned in the third-best distance and a new IWU record with a throw of 14.53 meters in the shot put.
Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
Javier Gallego, Grace
Gallego highlighted No. 17 Grace’s 2-0 week by winning all four of his matches. Gallego went 2-0 in straight sets at No. 1 singles and rolled to wins at No. 1 and No. 2 doubles.
Women’s Tennis Player of the Week
Jimena Ramirez, Grace
Ramirez went 7-1 to lift Grace during a 4-0 week. Ramirez was unbeaten at No. 1 singles and also went 3-0 at No. 2 doubles.
Men’s Golfer of the Week
Brett Casto, Spring Arbor
Casto finished second-of-58 at the Lawrence Tech Battle at the Brae, leading Spring Arbor at the two-round event with scores of 71 and 73.
Women’s Golfer of the Week
Danielle Tinsley, Huntington
Tinsley topped the field at the Battle of the Woods Invitational by shooting rounds of 79 and 81 on the par-72, 7,100-yard course. Tinsley led Huntington by finishing first-of-41 competitors on the individual leaderboard.