Crossroads League Announces Athletes of the Week | March 28-April 3
JACKSON, Mich. – The Crossroads League Athletes of the Week were announced on Monday, recognizing the league’s top athletes from March 28 through April 3. 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
Evan Salmon, Indiana Wesleyan
Salmon continued his assault on NAIA pitching by belting seven home runs and driving in 18 runs to help IWU to a 6-1 week. The senior hit .417 and also scored 13 times, while posting a .563 on-base clip and a 1.333 slugging percentage over 24 at bats.
Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Evan Etchison, Grace
Etchison posted 21 strikeouts over 10 innings of work for Grace, setting a program record with 16 strikeouts in 5.2 innings of relief against Bethel. Etchison also picked up a win over IWU and allowed just one run on five hits in the two outings.
Softball Player of the Week
Ashton Whitman, Taylor
Whitman hit safely in all six games for Taylor, leading TU to wins over No. 16 Marian and RV MVNU by hitting .556 with four extra-base hits, five runs batted in and five runs scored. The senior reached base at a .600 clip and posted a slugging percentage of .889.
Softball Pitcher of the Week
Nadia Hoffman, Mount Vernon Nazarene
Hoffman picked up three wins in the circle for RV Mount Vernon Nazarene, going 3-1 over four starts and posting a 2.67 ERA and 0.90 WHIP over 21 innings. The freshman fanned 16 hitters and fired a complete-game, one-hit gem in MVNU’s win at Taylor.
Women’s Outdoor TF Track Athlete of the Week
Erin Oleksak, Marian
Oleksak took first place in five events for Marian at its home meet, topping the field in the 100-hurdles, high jump, long jump, 4×100-relay and 4×400-relay. Oleksak hit three qualifying standards among those five performances and broke one school record.
Women’s Outdoor TF Field Athlete of the Week
Arriana Benjamin, Marian
Benjamin repeated the honor after registering three wins, two A-standards and one program record at her home meet. Benjamin won the shot put, discus and hammer for MU and automatically qualified for nationals in the shot put and discus.
Men’s Outdoor TF Track Athlete of the Week
Dimitri Margaritidis, Grace
Margaritidis automatically qualified for NAIA Nationals and was the top NAIA finisher in the 1,500-meters at the Cincinnati Invite. The junior finished eighth overall among NCAA D1 and D2 athletes, turning in a time of 3:50.47 for the Lancers.
Men’s Outdoor TF Field Athlete of the Week
Isaac Brown, Grace
Brown qualified for NAIA Nationals and won each of his events at the Knight Open, topping the field in the high jump and javelin. Brown hit the A-standard with a height of 2.08 meters in the high jump and provisionally qualified for nationals with a mark of 55.40 meters in the javelin.
Women’s Tennis Player of the Week
Lena Golz, Indiana Wesleyan
Golz went 3-0 at No. 2 singles and 4-0 at No. 1 doubles for third-ranked Indiana Wesleyan, helping the Wildcats to four teams wins, including a pair of victories over teams ranked or receiving votes in the NAIA Top-25.
Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
Martin Carrizo, Indiana Wesleyan
Carrizo went unbeaten in four team matches for No. 2 Indiana Wesleyan, closing the week with one win at No. 2 singles and four wins at No. 1 doubles. Carrizo was also leading three singles matches that were not finished prior to IWU securing the team win.
Women’s Golfer of the Week
Caroline Gibson, Indiana Wesleyan
Gibson topped a group of 78 individuals with scores of 69 and 77 to win the TPC Deere Run Invite. Gibson’s efforts helped No. 17 Indiana Wesleyan claim the team title as well.
Men’s Golfer of the Week
Erik Fahlen, Taylor
Fahlen finished second-of-47 golfers at the Purgatory Classic for No. 18 Taylor, leading the Trojans to a team victory. Fahlen carded rounds of 75 and 71 on the 7,040-yard course to pace TU.