CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference announced that Wartburg College women’s volleyball player Kylie Bildstein (Dyersville, Iowa/Beckman) and Coe College football player Quentin White (St. Louis, Mo./Francis Howell) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, October 20, 2019. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, and volleyball.  
Female Athlete of the Week – Volleyball – Offensive Player of the Week
Kylie Bildstein, Wartburg College
Jr., MB, Dyersville, Iowa/Beckman

• Wartburg junior Kylie Bildstein helped guide the Knights to a pair of league wins last week, clinching at least a share of the conference regular season title.
• She totaled 30 kills, averaging 3.33 per set along with a .383 attacking percentage.
• The middle blocker also tallied eight solo blocks and three assisted.
• In Wartburg’s 3-1 win over Coe, Bildstein recorded 13 kills with a .333 attacking percentage while adding six solo blocks and one assisted.
• With a 3-2 win over Loras on Saturday, October 19, Wartburg secured at least a share of the program’s eighth conference title.
• In the win over the Duhawks, Bildstein had a .424 attacking percentage with 17 kills and recorded two solo blocks and two assisted.
• The Knights will look to win the conference title outright on October 29, with they face Buena Vista in their final league match of the season.
• This is Bildtein’s second career Offensive Player of the Week honor (10/21/19, 10/29/18).

 
Male Athlete of the Week – Football – Offensive Player of the Week
Quentin White, Coe College
Sr., QB, St. Louis, Mo./Francis Howell

• Coe signal caller, Quentin White had a stellar afternoon in the team’s 56-21 win at Nebraska Wesleyan Saturday, October 19.
• The St. Louis, Mo. Native finished the day 30-for-38 with 404-yards passing and four touchdowns.
• His 404-yard effort through the air moved him into third place all-time in Coe's history for most passing yards in a single game.
• His four TD passes game at distances of 38-yds, 29-yds, 6-yds, and 26-yds.
• Through five conference contests, White has amassed 1,329-yards and 11 touchdowns.
• This is White’s first Offensive Player of the Week award and the first for the Kohawks since Nov. 13, 2016 (Trevor Heitland).

 
Men’s Cross Country – Runner of the Week
Joe Freiburger, Wartburg College
Jr., Holy Cross, Iowa/Western Dubuque

• Finished 3^rd at the Kollege Town Invite in Winneconne, Wis. out of 452 total runners.
• He helped guide Wartburg to a 3^rd place team finish out of 37 teams.
• The junior finished only 11 seconds behind the first-place finisher with a time of 24:54.1.
• Freiburger finished just outside of All-American distinction at the 2018 NCAA Championships, coming in 41^st.
• A season ago Freiburger finished fourth at the A-R-C championships to claim All-Conference accolades.
• This makes the third Runner of the Week honor for the junior (10/21/19, 9/23/19, 9/9/19).

 
Women’s Cross Country – Runner of the Week
Kassie Rosenbum, Loras College
So., Guttenberg, Iowa/Clayton Ridge

• Finished 2^nd at the Inter-Regional Rumble hosted by Oberlin College, only eight seconds behind the first-place finisher.
• The sophomore finished with a a time of 21:04.3.
• Her performance Saturday, October 19 was the second-fastest time in Loras women’s cross-country history.
• Rosenbum earned All-American honors in 2018, finishing 31^st at the NCAA Division III Championships.
• The Guttenberg native also earned All-Conference honors a season ago, finishing third at the Conference Championships.
• This is Rosenbum’s fourth Runner of the Week award and third consecutive time winning the honor (10/21/19, 10/7/19, 9/23/19, 9/2/19).

 
Football – Defensive Player of the Week
Eli Barrett, Wartburg College
Jr., DB, Denver, Iowa/Denver

• The junior defensive back recorded 13 tackles (8-solo, 5-assisted) and one pass breakup, as the Knights upended Simpson 29-15. 
• With both teams entering the contest unbeaten in conference play, the win moves Wartburg into sole possession of first place. 
• The Wartburg defense held the Simpson offense to 15 points, a team who averaged 32 points/game in conference play.
• Barrett ranks 13th in the league with 7.6 tackles/game through five conference contests. 
• The Knights improved to 7-0 overall and 5-0 in A-R-C.
• Barrett is picking up his first career Defensive Player of the Week award.

 
Football – Special Teams Player of the Week
Jon Alberts, Central College
Sr., K, Huntley, Ill./Huntley

• Alberts was 3-for-3 on field goals and 5-for-5 on PAT's, giving the Dutch 14 points in their 44-27 road win over Buena Vista.
• Four of his nine kickoffs went for touchbacks.
• In six games, Alberts is 6-for-7 on field goals with a season long of 48 yards.
• The Huntley, Ill. Native is a perfect 31-of-31 on PAT’s.
• This is Albert’s eighth career Special Teams Player of the Week award (10/21/19, 9/16/19, 9/10/19, 11/13/18, 10/15/18, 10/16/17, 9/17/17, 9/10/17).
• Alberts is a two-time first-team All-Conference award winner.

 
Men’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Harry Merz, Luther College
Sr., D, Auckland, New Zealand/Tawa College

• Merz anchored a defensive line that posted two shutouts against A-R-C opponents last week.
• The Norse defeated Dubuque 3-0 and Nebraska Wesleyan 6-0.
• Luther’s defense owns an .833 goals against average in 540 minutes of conference play.
• Merz has started all 15 matches for the Norse and has scored one goal.
• The two wins moved Luther into a four-way tie for first in the league standings with 12 points.
• This is the second career Defensive Player of the Week award for Merz (10/21/19, 9/9/18).
• Merz garnered All-Conference honors a season ago and picked up honorable mention accolades as a sophomore.

 
Men’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Ben Keller, Luther College
Sr., F, Vadnais Heights, Minn./White Bear Lake

• Keller and the Luther offense put up nine goals in their two matches last week, with wins over Dubuque and Nebraska Wesleyan.
• The senior scored two goals in the match against Dubuque, with the first one being the game-winner.
• He is currently in a three-way tie for first in the conference in game winning goals (2) in conference matches only.
• Against Nebraska Wesleyan, he assisted on three of the Norse’s six goals on the day.
• Through six conference matches Keller is the league leader in assists with six.
• This marks the senior’s 5th Offensive Player of the Week award (10/21/19, 9/16/19, 9/10/19, 10/22/17, 9/10/17).

 
Women’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Sarah Campbell, Wartburg College
So., D, Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock

• The sophomore defender led the Wartburg defense shutting out Loras and Central to go 2-0 last week.
• The Waverly, Iowa native picked up an assist in both matches.
• During conference play She has tallied four assists, which ties for second in the league.
• Campbell also leads the Knights in assists with seven on the season.
• Campbell and the Wartburg defense carry an .830 goals against average on the season.
• This makes Campbell’s second career Defensive Player of the Week honor (10/21/19, 9/9/19).

 
Women’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Sydney Schroder, Coe College
Jr., F, Iowa City, Iowa/City

• Schroder helped the Kohawks go 2-0 last week in conference play with wins over Nebraska Wesleyan and Buena Vista.
• In the game against NWU, the junior scored the only goal of the game to win it for Coe in double overtime.
• She picked up two goals in the Kohawks 7-0 shutout win at Buena Vista.
• To go along with her goals, she also picked up two assists.
• Schroder is currently sitting in a six-way tie for first in the conference in goals scored (4) through six conference matches.
• Schroder is now a 2-time Offensive Player of the Week, both coming in 2019 (10/21/19, 9/23/19).

 
Men’s Swimming & Diving – Performer of the Week
Peder Smith, Luther College
Sr., Baxter, Minn./Brainerd

• Smith’s performance in the pool led Luther to a 165-45 dual meet win at Macalester College.
• Luther improves to 2-0 in dual meet competitions in the 2019-20 season.
• He won the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:09.93, finishing 10 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
• Placed second in the 200 IM (2:07.16).
• Swam the first leg of the 200-medley relay that won the event by 10 seconds (1:45.94).
• This is the senior’s second Performer of the Week award (10/21/19, 1/8/17).

 
Women’s Swimming & Diving – Performer of the Week
Nina Schiro, Loras College
Fr., New Glarus, Wis./New Glarus

• Schiro won all three events she swam in during her collegiate debut.
• Her performance in the pool led Loras to a 104-104 tie with Ripon College (Wis.).
• The New Glarus, Wis. native won the 200-yard freestyle in at time of 2:10.41, edging out second place by .03 seconds.
• She also touched the wall fist in the 100 yard back stroke (1:06.11) and swam on the 200-yard medley relay to win the event (2:01.38).
• Schiro is picking up her first career Performer of the Week honor.

 
Volleyball – Defensive Player of the Week
Katie Foster, Wartburg College
Jr., DS, Charles City, Iowa/Charles City

• Foster’s on court performance helped the Knights snag at-least a share of the American Rivers Conference volleyball title.
• Foster recorded 55 digs in the two wins for the Knights last week, 24 against Coe and 31 against Loras; averaging 6.11 digs/set.SD
• She sits comfortably in the lead within the conference in digs through seven matches with 163.
• To go along with her kills, the junior defensive specialist picked up four serving aces.
• She currently leads the conference in service aces with 13 through seven conference matches.
• Foster is now a 13-time Defensive Player of the Week honor and winning it for the 5^th time in 2019 (10/21/19, 9/30/19, 9/23/19, 9/16/19, 9/9/19, 10/29/18, 10/15/18, 10/8/18, 9/3/18, 11/5/17, 10/29/17, 9/24/17, 9/3/17).