CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference announced that Loras College wrestler Brandon Murray (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) and Central College women’s basketball player Kendall Brown (Moravia, Iowa/Moravia) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 16, 2020. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, and wrestling.
Male Athlete of the Week - Wrestling – Wrestler of the Week
Brandon Murray, Loras College
Sr., 157lbs., Toms Rivers, N.J./Toms Rivers South

• Brandon Murray, ranked No.4 (NWCA)/2 (D3wrestle.com), helped third-ranked Loras College snap No.1 Wartburg's 220 consecutive conference dual wins to claim the program's first Conference title Friday, Feb. 14.
• The senior picked up a third period fall against Wartburg’s Shea Hartzler, giving the Duhawks six critical team points.
• It was the only pin for the Duhawks, who would go on to win the dual 19-17.
• While Murray provided big team points for Loras, their victory would not have been possible without wins from Clint Lembeck (141lbs.), Daniel Ruiz (149lbs.), Jacob Krakow (174lbs.), and Guy Patron Jr. (197lbs.).
• Loras’ first conference wrestling title also brought Wartburg's streak of 27-straight conference titles to an end. 
• Murray holds a 19-2 record on the season with nine of those coming by pin.
• This is the Toms River, N.J. native’s first career Wrestler of the Week honor.

 
Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Basketball – Player of the Week
Kendall Brown, Central College
Sr., F, Moravia, Iowa/Moravia

• The Dutch secured two conference wins last week over Luther (58-56) and Nebraska Wesleyan (82-75) to clinch the No.6 seed in the 2020 A-R-C tournament.
• The Dutch rallied from 18 down to beat Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday, behind Brown’s 12 points, six rebounds, and three blocks.
• In the game against Luther, the senior scored 20 points along with three blocks and seven rebounds.
• This year marks the first time the Dutch have been in the conference tournament since the 2004-05 season.
• Brown shot 58.3% from the field last week, and she currently sits 7^th in NCAA Division III for field goal percentage (62.2%) on the season.
• She also sits 13^th in Division III in blocked shots (66).
• This is Brown’s second career Player of the Week honor, and first Female Athlete of the Week (2/17/20, 1/20/20).

 
Men’s Basketball – Player of the Week
Adam McDermott, Coe College
Sr., G, Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier

• The Kohawks picked up wins over Simpson (80-60) and Buena Vista (81-72) last week to move into sole possession of third place in the conference standings.
• McDermott, on the road at Simpson, scored 13 points while adding six rebounds, two steals, and two assists en route to the Kohawks 20-point victory.
• In the battle with BVU for third place in the A-R-C, McDermott stepped up, scoring 25 points for the Kohawks and shooting 64% from the field on Senior Day.
• Overall, the senior shot 14-of-25 (56%) from the floor and 7-of-11 (64%) from downtown, while dishing out six assists.
• This is McDermott’s first career Player of the Week nod.

 
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Field – Performer of the Week
Trent Koehler, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., York, Neb./York

• The Prairie Wolves competed at the Darren Young Classic hosted by Grinnell College this last weekend.
• As a team, NWU finished 1^st out of nine competing teams.
• Koehler was named the Outstanding Performer in the men’s field events.
• The senior won the long jump with a mark of 23 feet and 1.25 inches.
• The York, Neb. native also won the triple jump going 46 feet and 7.25 inches.
• His long jump mark ranks 21^st in NCAA Division III, while his triple jump distance ranks 24^th.
• This is Koehler’s third Indoor Field Performer of the Week accolade (2/17/20, 1/14/19, 1/28/18).

 
Men’s Indoor Track & Field - Track – Performer of the Week
Dallas Wright, Wartburg College
Jr., Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle

• The Knights competed at Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Midwest Elite Invite over the weekend.
• Wright set a school indoor record with a time of 22.05 in the 200-meter dash.
• His 200-meter dash time currently ranks third in NCAA Division III.
• The junior sprinter set a personal indoor best in the 60-meter hurdles (8.26), finishing third in the event.
• This is the junior’s first career Indoor Track Performer of the Week award.

 
Women’s Indoor Track & Field - Field – Performer of the Week
Dayton Dolincheck, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West

• Dolincheck and the Prairie Wolves competed at Grinnell College’s Darren Young Classic Saturday, Feb. 15, taking first place out of nine teams.
• The Bellevue, Neb. native was named Outstanding Performer in Women's Field Events.
• She took first in the shot put with mark of 44-11.0 and was fourth in the weight throw at 53-0.25.
• Dolincheck’s mark in the shot put would have ranked ninth in NCAA DIII had she not already recorded the top mark in the country on Jan. 30, 2020.
• This is the senior’s eighth Indoor Field Performer of the Week accolade (2/17/20, 2/3/20, 1/20/20, 2/4/19, 1/28/19, 1/21/19, 1/14/19, 1/21/18).

 
Women’s Indoor Track & Field - Track – Performer of the Week
Aspen Rolfes, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Jr., Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Pius X

• The Prairie Wolves competed at the Darren Young Classic Saturday, Feb. 15, and NWU took home first place out of nine competing schools.
• Rolfes was named Women’s Outstanding Performer on the Track.
• The junior won the 200-meter dash and broke the meet record with a time of 25.78.
• The time in the 200-meter ranks 14^th in NCAA Division III.
• The Lincoln, Neb. native was second in the 60-meter dash (7.99).
• She was also on the 4x400 relay team that finished third with a time of 4:06.05.
• This is Rolfes’ third career Indoor Track Performer of the Week (2/14/20, 2/11/19, 2/4/18).

 
Men’s Swimming & Diving – Performer of the Week
Kaleb Donels, Coe College
So., Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington

• The Kohawks competed at the 2020 Liberal Arts Championships in Elsah, Ill. hosted by Principia College.
• Coe finished third as a team with 506 points, just seven points behind second place.
• Donels set two school records this weekend, in the 100 Back Stroke and the 200 Back Stroke.
• The sophomore won the 100 Backstroke with a time of 50.35.
• He took home a second-place finish in the 200 Backstroke (1:53.18).
• To close out the weekend, Donels finished third in the 200 IM (1:56.88).
• This is the sophomore’s first career Performer of the Week accolade.

 
Women’s Swimming & Diving – Performer of the Week
Darby Manternach, Coe College
So., Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy

• Coe competed at the 2020 Liberal Arts Championships in Elsah, Ill. hosted by Principia College.
• The Kohawks won the 2020 Championships on the women’s side for the second straight year.
• Coe’s first place point total of 536 was 83 points ahead of second place.
• Manternach was a part of three relay teams that won events (400 relay, 200 medley relay, and the 800 free relay).
• The 400-relay team (Manternach, Lauren Pio, Katie Freeland, and Sammi Hall) broke a school record with a time of 3:37.22.
• Individually, the sophomore took home a top finish in the 200 Freestyle (1:57.85).
• She finished second in the 100 Freestyle (54.19) and third in the 50 Freestyle (24.75).
• This is Manternach’s second career Performer of the Week honor (2/17/20, 2/18/19).

 
Men’s Tennis – Player of the Week
Nyathi Motlojoa, Luther College
So., Lesotho, South Africa/Grey College

• The Norse played three matches this weekend against Grinnell, Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Wheaton (Ill.).
• Motlojoa went 5-1 on the weekend, going 2-1 in doubles and 3-0 at No. 2 in singles for the Norse.
• In doubles, Motlojoa and his partner, Cole Schneider, defeated Grinnell’s Bowen Mince/George Kaslow (8-6) and Wheaton’s Anderson Park/Andrew Bristol (8-7(7-0)).
• In singles matches, the sophomore defeated Grinnell’s M. Conlin-Brandenbrug (4-6, 6-1, 10-7), Wheaton’s Jeremiah Yi (6-3, 6-0), and UW-Whitewater’s Rory Calabria (6-4, 6-2).
• Motlojoa’s singles record on the season improves to 8-4.
• This is the South African’s first career Player of the Week accolade.