CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Wartburg College football player Antonio Santillan (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) and Loras College women’s soccer player Ryleigh O’Brien (Hampton, Ill./United Township) have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, November 7, 2021. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in football, men’s and women’s soccer, wrestling, and volleyball. Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Ryleigh O’Brien, Loras College
Sr., F, Hampton, Ill./United Township

• O’Brien helped lead the No. 9 Duhawks to claim the tournament title with wins over Luther (1-0) and No. 25 Wartburg (4-1).
• The senior posted the game winning goal in their double-overtime victory against Luther.
• She scored the first goal in their win over Wartburg.
• O’Brien played 178 minutes during their two contests.
• The tournament title win secures the No. 9 Duhawks a spot in the NCAA tournament.
• The Hampton, Ill. native is earning her second-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (11/8/2021, 9/30/2019).

Male Athlete of the Week – Football – Defensive Player of the Week
Antonio Santillan, Wartburg College
Sr., LB, Davenport, Iowa/Assumption

• Santillan helped lead the Knights to a 50-14 victory over Nebraska Wesleyan University.
• The senior posted 10 tackles, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, and one interception.
• Santillan was a key part of the Knights defense, while holding the Prairie Wolves to -11 rushing yards.
• Wartburg improved to 6-3 overall and 5-2 in league play.
• The senior linebacker is a 2019 All-Conference performer.
• The Davenport, Iowa native is garnering his second-career Defensive Player of the Week honor (11/8/21, 11/18/19).

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

• Hawkins led the Dutch to a 56-7 victory over University of Dubuque.
• The senior had six passing and one rushing touchdown.
• Hawkins completed 34-of-44 passes leading to 283 passing yards.
• Along with his passing performance, Hawkins rushed for 101 yards.
• Hawkins led the Dutch offense to 602 yards of total offense.
• Central improved their record to 9-0 overall and 7-0 in league play.
• Hawkins is a two-time All-Conference performer and 2019 A-R-C Most Valuable Player.
• The Ankeny, Iowa native is earning his eleventh-career Offensive Player of the Week honor and fifth this season (11/8/21, 10/25/21, 10/12/21, 10/4/21, 9/27/21, 4/12/21, 4/5/21, 11/4/19, 9/10/19, 9/17/18, 10/29/17).

Football – Special Teams Player of the Week
Logan Sunvold, Central College
So., K, Monroe, Iowa/Southeast Polk

• Sunvold helped lead the Dutch to a 56-7 victory over University of Dubuque.
• He was 8-of-8 on PATs, breaking the Central College program record with 63 on the season.
• The sophomore has 54 PATs in league play to tie the conference conversions record.
• Sunvold had nine kickoffs tallying 467 yards, averaging 51.9 yards per kickoff.
• The Dutch improved their record to 9-0 overall and 7-0 in league play.
• The Monroe, Iowa native is collecting his third-career Special Teams Player of the Week honor (11/8/21, 10/25/21, 9/27/21).

Men’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Connor Fitzpatrick, Loras College
Sr., GK, Eugene, Ore./Marist

• Fitzpatrick helped lead the Duhawks to the A-R-C Tournament Championship.
• Loras defeated Simpson 3-0 and Dubuque 1-0 to earn the A-R-C’s automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament.
• Fitzpatrick earned two shutouts on the week to bring his season total to six.
• The senior goalkeeper recorded seven saves in the two matches, with five coming from the championship match against Dubuque.
• The Duhawks improved to 13-6-2 overall.
• The Eugene, Oregon native is collecting his second-career Defensive Player of the Week honor (11/8/21, 9/20/21).

Men’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Reed Miklavcic, Loras College
So., F, Frankfort, Ky./Frankfort

• Miklavcic helped lead the Duhawks to a 2-0 week, advancing them to the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament.
• In the 3-0 win over Simpson, the sophomore tallied one game winning goal on one shot.
• Miklavcic also tallied the lone goal for the Duhawks in the 1-0 victory over Dubuque.
• The sophomore tallied two goals on two shots on the week.
• Miklavcic played in 95 of the 180 minutes.
• The Duhawks enter the NCAA tournament with a 13-6-2 overall record.
• The Frankfort, Kentucky native is garnering his second-career Defensive Player of the Week honor (11/8/21, 4/12/21).

Women’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Libby Perry, Loras College
So., D, Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic

• Perry helped the No. 9 Duhawks to another 2-0 week with wins over Luther (1-0) and No. 25 Wartburg (4-1), claiming the tournament title.
• The sophomore played a vital role in holding off opponents’ attacks and setting up plays offensively.
• The defender helped lead a shutout game against Luther and only allowed one goal against the Knights.
• She played 188 minutes in their two contests this week.
• The tournament title win secures the No. 9 Duhawks spot in the NCAA tournament.
• The Dubuque native is earning her first-career Defensive Player of the Week accolade.

Wrestling – Wrestler of the Week
Jalen Schropp, Loras College
So., 141 lbs., Williamsburg, Iowa/Williamsburg

• Schropp took first in the 141lbs. bracket at the Platteville Invitational.
• He opened the season on an impressive note with three straight pins.
• The sophomore faced Cornell’s Kyler Henderson and advanced with a 3:28 fall.
• Schropp downed Nate Boulton from UW-Platteville with a fall in 1:16.
• The Loras wrestler took the championship match with a 5:33 fall over Zach Licht of UW-Platteville.
• This is the Williamsburg, Iowa native’s first-career Wrestler of the Week honor.

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

• Foster helped the No. 4 Knights defensively to claim the tournament crown with wins over Dubuque (3-0) and Coe (3-2).
• The senior recorded 20 digs against Dubuque and 25 digs against Coe, averaging 5.63 digs per set.
• Wartburg libero recorded no ball handling errors in their two contests.
• With their wins, the No. 4 Knights have secured their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
• Foster is a five-time All-Conference performer, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2019 Most Valuable Player, and 2017 Freshman of the Year.
• The Charles City, Iowa native is picking up her twenty-second-career Defensive Player of the Week honor (11/8/21, 10/18/21, 9/27/21, 9/20/21, 9/13/21, 9/7/21, 3/29/21, 2/22/21, 11/4/19, 10/21/19, 9/30/19, 9/23/19, 9/16/19, 9/9/19, 10/29/18, 10/15/18, 10/8/18, 9/2/18, 11/5/17, 10/29/17, 9/24/17, 9/3/17).

•  Bildstein helped the No. 4 Knights to a 3-0 win over Dubuque and 3-2 win over Coe, claiming the tournament crown.
• The senior middle hitter recorded 15 kills against Dubuque, hitting .625.
• Throughout the two games, Bildstein had a .388 hitting percentage.
• She collected 8 blocks in the Knights comeback win in the A-R-C tournament championship game against Coe.
• With their wins, the No. 4 Knights have secured their spot in the NCAA Tournament.
• Bildstein is a four-time All-Conference performer and has been named this year’s league MVP.
• The Dyersville, Iowa native is collecting her seventh-career Offensive Player of the Week honor, and forth this season (11/8/21, 9/27/21, 9/13/21, 9/7/21, 11/4/19, 10/21/19, 10/29/18).