Crossroads League Announces Athletes of the Week | Sept. 9-15
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AVON, Ohio – The Crossroads League Athletes of the Week were announced on Monday, recognizing the top athletes from the week of September 9 through 15. Sports Information Directors from the league nominate student-athletes for the award and vote on each week’s winners.
Volleyball Attacker of the Week
Kelly Miller, Indiana Wesleyan
Miller posted 12 kills in each of No. 4 Indiana Wesleyan’s 3-0 sweeps of Grace and No. 22 Marian. The senior outside hitter posted a .315 percentage in the two matches and hit only two errors in IWU’s sweep of MU.
Volleyball Defender of the Week
Ellie Ruby, Mount Vernon Nazarene
Ruby turned in over 20 digs in each of Mount Vernon Nazarene’s victories and totaled 61 digs in three MVNU outings. The sophomore averaged 5.6 digs per set, including a 24-dig effort in a 3-1 win at Huntington.
Volleyball Setter of the Week
Maria Pelak, Saint Francis
Pelak led RV Saint Francis to a trio of 3-0 sweeps by averaging 12.4 assists, 3.9 digs and 0.44 blocks per set for the Cougars. The junior setter posted double-doubles against Goshen and Taylor and reached the 1,000-dig mark against MVNU.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Jacob Crull, Spring Arbor
Crull scored the lone goal in No. 15 Spring Arbor’s 1-0 win over No. 6 Madonna, finding the net in the 84th minute to lift the Cougars to the upset victory.
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Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Christopher Banfi, Spring Arbor
Banfi posted a shutout of No. 6 Madonna in a 1-0 win for the No. 15 Spring Arbor club. The sophomore keeper notched four saves in the contest for his third clean sheet of the year.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Mackenzie Selvius, Spring Arbor
Selvius scored two of No. 10 SAU’s three goals on the week against a pair of top-10 foes. The sophomore scored Spring Arbor’s lone goal in a 1-1 tie at No. 6 Lindsey Wilson, before drilling the game-winner in a 2-1 win against No. 4 Martin Methodist.
Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Bethany Blackwood, Grace
Blackwood picked up five saves to help No. 16 Grace take a 3-1 win over No. 19 Embry Riddle in the Lancers’ lone match of the week.
Women’s Cross Country Runner of the Week
Emma Jankowski, Bethel
Jankowski raced to victory at the Spartan Classic, topping 152 runners with a program-record time of 22:02 in the 6,000-meter race. Jankowski’s effort helped No. 25 Bethel score as the top-finishing NAIA team at the event.
Men’s Cross Country Runner of the Week
Haile Stutzman, Huntington
Stutzman led Huntington to a first-place finish at the Rumble in the Fort and finished second overall with a time of 27:06 in the 8,000-meter race. HU finished in front of NCAA DI foes Purdue Fort Wayne and Wright State at the meet.
Women’s Tennis Player of the Week
Emily Mast, Grace
Mast went unbeaten in six matches at the top singles and doubles slot for Grace. The senior only dropped one set in the three matches, helping the Lancers to a trio of league victories.
Men’s Tennis Player of the Week
Pavle Popovic, Grace
Popovic helped Grace to wins over Saint Francis, Taylor and Spring Arbor by playing to a 6-0 individual mark at No. 1 and 2 singles and doubles for the Lancers.