CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference announced that Luther College baseball player
John Colucci III (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) and Luther College softball player
Samantha Bratland (Spring Grove, Minn./Spring Grove) were named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week, for the week ending Sunday, April 7, 2019. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in baseball, men’s golf, softball, men’s tennis, women’s tennis and men’s and women’s track & field.
Male Athlete of the Week – Baseball – Pitcher of the Week
John Colucci III, Luther College
Fr., RHP, Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South
- During his second collegiate start, Colucci III faced just 29 batters and tossed a no hitter with four strikeouts, as Luther defeated Wartburg 7-0.
- The win was the nightcap of a twin bill the Norse won posting shutouts in both games.
- Colucci III is now 2-0 with an ERA of 5.74.
- Luther is now 13-11 overall and 6-2 in American Rivers Conference play.
- This is Colucci’s first Pitcher of the Week honor and the second for the Norse this season.
Female Athlete of the Week - Softball – Pitcher of the Week
Samantha Bratland, Luther College
Sr., RHP, Spring Grove, Minn./Spring Grove
- Bratland posted four wins this past week, including two shut outs, improving her season record to 13-3.
- For the week she allowed just one earned run in 21 innings of work and struck out 20 of 84 batters faced.
- She tossed a 2-hit shut-out in Luther’s 8-0 (5) win over Loras 8-0, and a 5-hit shutout in the 6-0 win over Buena Vista.
- The senior pitcher recorded both wins versus Augustana (IL), tossing 7-innings in game one and pitching in relief in game two.
- Her efforts last week lowered her season ERA to 0.59.
- Luther has won 12 in a row and is now 22-3.
- This is the first Pitcher of the Week award for Bratland in 2019 and the sixth of her career (4/8/19, 5/6/18, 4/2/18, 5/7/17, 4/23/17, 3/21/16).
Baseball – Position Player of the Week
Jordan Kaplan, Coe College
Jr. 1B, Northbrook, Ill/Glenbrook North
- Kaplan hit .444 over six games last week as Coe went a perfect 6-0 in six conference road wins.
- Half of Kaplan's 12 hits went for extra-base hits including two home runs, three doubles and one triple.
- He also drove in six runs and scored seven while adding three stolen bases.
- From first base he tallied 55 putouts and five assists.
- Coe’s wins game against Nebraska Wesleyan (7-4), Dubuque (9-2, 5-1) and Wartburg (4-1, 7-0, 9-4).
- Coe leads the conference with a 10-1 league record and boast a 20-2 overall mark.
- Last week’s six wins helped Head Coach Steve Cook collect his 500th career win.
- This is Kaplan’s second Position Player of the Week accolade (4/8/19, 3/25/18).
Men’s Golf – Golfer of the Week
Jeremy Schwab, Central College
Sr., Beach Park, Ill./Zion Benton
- Dutch participated in the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational over the weekend.
- Schwab shot his way to a 17th-place finisher about the 120-golfer field.
- Matched his career-best with a 73 in the opening round.
- Followed up with a 75 to finish 11 strokes out of the lead.
- Schwab was seventh at last year’s conference championship; all four scores in the 70s.
- This is the second-straight week the Dutch take home Men’s Golfer of the Week accolades.
Softball – Position Player of the Week
Blake Banowetz, Luther College
Sr., 3B, Bellevue, Iowa/Marquette Catholic
- Banowetz helped lead No. 24 Luther to six wins last week, batting .529 (9-of-17) with nine RBI and four runs scored.
- Luther’s wins came against Loras (8-0, 16-3), Augustana (IL) (4-3, 4-3) and Buena Vista (6-0, 5-1).
- She posted a .882 slugging percentage behind three doubles and one home run.
- Defensively she was credited with six putouts, 10 assists and one error.
- She is now batting .471 with 24 RBI.
- Luther has now won 12 in a row and is 22-3 overall.
Men’s Tennis – Player of the Week
David Boschma, Central College
So., Olathe, Kan./Northwest
- On April 7, 2019 against Dubuque and Loras, Boschma went 2-0 at No.2 singles and 2-0 at No.1 doubles.
- No.2 Singles: Boschma defeated Jason Reddy (Dubuque) 6-3, 6-1
- No.2 Singles: Boschma defeated Kevin Bloomquest (Loras) 6-4, 7-6
- No.1 Doubles: Defeated Jason Reddy/Devon Gerber (Dubuque) 8-1 (with Danny Anderson)
- No.1 Doubles: Defeated Charlie Harris/Tommy Linkeneld 8-4 (with Danny Anderson)
- Boschma was the only Central player to go 4-0 on the day as Central swept Dubuque 8-1 and Loras 9-0.
- This is Boschma’s first Player of the Week honor and the first for Central this season.
- Central is now 7-7 overall and 3-1 in league play.
Women’s Tennis – Player of the Week
Shelby Cook, Luther College
Fr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy
- On April 6-7, 2019, Cook posted a record of 1-1 in singles and 1-1 in doubles
- Against No. 32 Carleton she fell at No. 3 singles (6-2, 6-0) by Kristinna Conrad.
- At No.1 doubles, playing with teammate Britta Pressler, they were defeated by the 22nd ranked duo of Madeline Prins and Kkristina Conrad of Carleton (8-3).
- Versus Grinnell, Cook won at No. 3 singles (6-1, 6-2) over Isabel Green.
- Pressler and Cook defeated Abby Nielsen and Judith Fan of Grinnell at No. 1 doubles (8-6).
- The first-year player is now 16-6 in singles for the year and 15-9 with Pressler in doubles.
- This is Cook’s first Player of the Week honor and the second for the Norse this season.
Men’s Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week
Blaze Murfin, University of Dubuque
Grad., Dallas City, Ill./Illini West
- Spartans participated in the Cornell College Invitational this past weekend.
- Murfin’s winning discus throw of 160 feet, 8 inches was the best in Division III this year.
- Won the shot put with a toss of 59 feet, five inches.
- Murfin was the Most Outstanding Field Performer at the 2018 Outdoor Conference Championships and received the same honor at the 2019 A-R-C indoor championship several weeks back.
- This is Murfin’s seventh Outdoor Field Performer of the Week honor of his career (4/8/19, 5/13/18, 4/15/18, 5/7/17, 4/23/17, 5/16/16, 4/4/16).
Men’s Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week
Kyle Dickinson, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Fr., Friend, Neb./Friend
- Prairie Wolves were at the Concordia (Neb.) Invitational this past weekend.
- Burst on the outdoor scene with a victory in his first collegiate 400 outdoors.
- Winning time of 49.51 seconds is the fastest in the A-R-C this season.
- Dickinson finished fifth at the indoor conference championship in 52.80 seconds.
Women’s Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week
Maddie Fitzgibbons, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Papillion, Neb./Papillion
- Prairie Wolves were at the Concordia (Neb.) Invitational this past weekend.
- Finished fifth in the hammer throw with a toss of 174 feet, 6 inches.
- Mark was the third-best in NCAA Division III this season.
- Mark also was the third-best in school history as well.
- Fitzgibbons medaled at the A-R-C indoors, finishing third in the weight throw.
Women’s Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week
Elizabeth Jones, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Omaha, Neb./Millard North
- Prairie Wolves were at the Concordia (Neb.) Invitational this past weekend.
- Jones was first in the 400 meters with a time of 56.02 seconds.
- Winning time is second-fastest in Division III this season.
- Was second in the 200 meters in 25.25, behind only teammate Aspen Rolfes.
- This is the second Outdoor Track Performer of the Week for Jones (4/8/19, 5/6/18).
