CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Central College football player Blaine Hawkins (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny) and Loras College women’s cross country runner Kassie Rosenbum (Guttenberg, Iowa/Clayton Ridge) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, October 3, 2021. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s cross country, football, women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s tennis, and volleyball.
   Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Cross Country – Runner of the Week
Kassie Rosenbum, Loras College
Sr., Guttenberg, Iowa/Clayton Ridge

• Rosenbum finished 1^st out of 297 runners at the Brissman-Lundeen Invitational, hosted by Augustana (Ill.).
• She finished with a time of 20:26.1, setting the school record in the 6,000-meter race, taking five seconds off the previous record.
• The senior finished 1:25 ahead of the second-place finisher.
• The No.35 Duhawks finished second with a score of 79.
• Rosenbum is a two-time All-American, three-time All-Conference performer, and two-time Academic All-Conference honoree.
• This is the Guttenberg, Iowa native’s eleventh Runner of the Week honor (10/4/21, 9/20/21, 9/13/21, 10/26/20, 10/13/20, 9/28/20, 9/14/20, 10/21/19, 10/7/19, 9/23/19, 9/2/19).

Male Athlete of the Week – Football – Offensive Player of the Week
Blaine Hawkins, Central College
Sr., QB, Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny

• Hawkins led the Dutch to a 49-24 win over Wartburg to stay unbeaten in league play.
• The senior had six passing touchdowns.
• He completed 21 of 29 passes leading to 297 passing yards.
• Hawkins helped lead the Dutch to 456 yards of total offense.
• Hawkins is a two-time All-Conference performer and 2019 A-R-C Most Valuable Player.
• The fifth-year senior is earning his eighth-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (10/4/21, 9/27/21, 4/12/21, 4/5/21, 11/4/19, 9/10/19, 9/17/18, 10/29/17).

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

• Frieburger finished 1^st out of 167 runners at the Dan Huston Invite, hosted by Wartburg College.
• The senior placed 8 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher.
• The Knights finished 1^st out of 9 teams, with a team score of 18.
• Frieburger is a three-time All-Conference performer and two-time Conference MVP.
• The Holy Cross, Iowa native is collecting his tenth-career Runner of the Week honor (10/4/21, 11/9/20, 10/26/20, 10/13/20, 9/28/20, 9/14/20, 9/9/19, 9/23/19, 10/21/19, 11/3/19).

Football – Defensive Player of the Week
Max Brinker, Nebraska Wesleyan University
So., LB, Elkhorn, Neb./Omaha Skutt Catholic

• Brinker helped the Prairie Wolves to a 28-21 win over Luther.
• He tallied eight tackles in the Nebraska Wesleyan win.
• In addition to his eight tackles, Brinker had a 61-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown to tie the game at 14-14.
• The Elkhorn, Neb. native is picking up his first-career Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Football – Special Teams Player of the Week
Scott Talmadge, Loras College
Fr., K, Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial

• Talmadge was 3-3 on FGs (36-yards/29 yards/36-yards) in the Duhawks 21-13 win over Simpson.
• He had six kickoffs tallying 365 yards with one touchback.
• The freshman averaged 60.8 yards per kick.
• The Ankeny, Iowa native is garnering his first-career Special Teams Player of the Week honor.

Women’s Golf – Golfer of the Week
Madeline Streicher, Simpson College
Fr., Edgewood, Iowa/Edgewood-Colesburg

• Streicher earned a first-place finish at the Iowa Wesleyan Classic with a score of 76.
• She was four strokes ahead of second place.
• The Storm finished third with a score of 359.
• This is her fourth top-three finish this fall.
• The Edgewood, Iowa native is collecting her second-consecutive and second-career Golfer of the Week honor (10/4/21, 9/27/21).

Men’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Raul Ferrández, Luther College
Fr., D, Crevillente, Spain/The Kiski School

• Ferrández helped Luther’s defensive line hold their opponents to four shots on goal.
• The Norse lost to St. Olaf (2-3) in double overtime and beat Buena Vista 9-0.
• Ferrández scored one goal on four shots in the two-game span.
• Luther has an overall record of 6-4 and are 2-0 in league play.
• This is Ferrández’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Men’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Marcos Vila, Luther College
Sr., F, Madrid, Spain/I.E.S. San Fernando

• In Luther’s two-game span, Vila scored four goals and two assists.
• Vila scored twice during Luther’s 2-3 double overtime loss to St. Olaf.
• The Madrid, Spain native scored two goals, including the game winner in the Norse 9-0 victory over Buena Vista.
• He tallied ten points in two-games.
• The Norse have an overall record of 6-4 and 2-0 in league play.
• Vila is a two-time All-Conference performer and 2020 (Spring 2021) American Rivers Conference Most Valuable Player.
• The senior is garnering his second-career Offensive Player of the Week honors (10/4/21, 11/5/18).

Women’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Olivia Lansing, Loras College
Jr., D, Davenport, Iowa/Assumption Catholic

• Lansing helped lead the No.14 Duhawks to a 2-0 week.
• Loras defeated Monmouth 5-1 and Simpson 3-0.
• The Loras defense gave up only one goal and five shots on goal over the two-game span.
• Lansing also had an assist in the win over Monmouth.
• She played in 151 minutes over the two games.
• The Loras junior is a 2020 (Spring 2021) All-Conference performer.
• The Davenport, Iowa native is garnering her first-career Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Women’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Brynn Jacobi, Loras College
Sr., F, Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah

• Jacobi helped lead the No.14 ranked Duhawks to two wins on the week.
• Loras defeated Monmouth 5-1 and Simpson 3-0.
• Jacobi scored three goals in the win over Monmouth.
• The senior had one goal and one assist in the conference win over Simpson.
• The Duhawks have an overall record of 10-0-1 and are now 2-0 in league play.
• The Roscoe, Illinois native is a three-time All-Conference performer and 2019 American Rivers Conference Most Valuable Player.
• This is Jacobi’s first-career Offensive Player of the Week honor.

Women’s Tennis – Player of the Week
Bronwyn Metcalf, Central College
Sr., Pella, Iowa/Pella

• Metcalf went 2-0 in No.1 Singles and 2-0 in No.2 Doubles on the week.
• Central remains unbeaten in conference play after defeating Dubuque (9-0) and Loras (8-1).
• In singles, Metcalf defeated Dubuque’s Alyssa Stevenson 6-4, 6-0 and Loras’ Lauren Diiulio 6-4, 7-5.
• In doubles, Metcalf played with Jennifer Larson and together defeated Jordyn Cory/Patient Jabbah of Dubuque 8-0 and Sara Backus/Dorothy Means of Loras 8-7.
• This is the Pella, Iowa natives first-career Player of the Week honor.

Volleyball – Defensive Player of the Week
Majda Suljic, Coe College
Sr., L, Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls

• Suljic helped lead the Kohawks to a 4-1 week, bringing them to 15-6 overall and 3-0 in league play.
• The senior libero tallied 96 digs over the five matches.
• In Coe’s conference win over Dubuque (3-2), Suljic tallied 24 digs.
• She tallied 26 and 21 digs in the Kohawks loss to Elmhurst (2-3) and win over John Carroll (3-0).
• The Kohawks also had wins over Kalamazoo (3-0) and Alma College (3-0).
• Suljic tallied nine service aces with four coming from the win over John Carroll.
• The Cedar Falls, Iowa native is a 2020 All-Conference performer.
• Suljic is picking up her fourth career Defensive Player of the Week honor (10/4/21, 3/22/21, 3/8/21, 10/28/19).

Volleyball – Offensive Player of the Week
Kate Tidman, Coe College
Jr., OH, Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar

• Tidman helped lead the Kohawks to a 4-1 week, bringing them to 15-6 overall and 3-0 in league play.
• Coe defeated Dubuque (3-2), John Carroll (3-0), Kalamazoo (3-0), and Alma (3-0).
• The junior tallied 72 kills in the five-game span.
• She recorded a season-best 22 kills in the Kohawk victory over Dubuque.
• She tallied 14 kills in the Kohawk loss to Elmhurst (2-3).
• Tidman recorded four service aces with two coming from the win over John Carroll.
• The Kohawk junior is a two-time All-Conference performer.
• The Bondurant, Iowa native is collecting her third-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (10/4/21, 3/22/21, 9/16/19).