CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College track & field athlete
Mike Jasa (Fairfax, Iowa/Cedar Rapids Prairie) and Nebraska Wesleyan University track & field athlete
Aspen Rolfes (Lincoln, Neb./Pius X) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 7, 2021. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, and wrestling.
Female Athlete of the Week – Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week
Aspen Rolfes, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Lincoln, Neb./Pius X
- Nebraska Wesleyan competed at the Buena Vista Triangular on Saturday, Feb. 6 where the Prairie Wolves took home first place.
- Rolfes won the 200-meter dash with a time of 25.15, which currently ranks first at the NCAA Division III level.
- She also raced in the 4x400-meter relay that NWU won with a time of 3:58.08, which ranks the second-best time in Division III.
- This is the fourth career Women’s Indoor Track Performer of the Week honor for Rolfes (2/8/21, 2/14/20, 2/11/19, 2/4/18)
Male Athlete of the Week – Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week
Mike Jasa, Loras College
Jr., Fairfax, Iowa/Prairie
- The Duhawks won the Dubuque Triangular on Saturday, Feb. 6 with 112 team points, defeating cross-town rival by 12 points.
- Jasa won the 400-meter dash with both a personal best time and facility record of 48.95.
- He defeated teammate Carter Oberfoell by a gap of 1.47 seconds.
- The Fairfax, Iowa native was also on the 4x400 relay team that won the event with a time of 3:22.32, to rank the second-best time in Division III.
- This marks Jasa’s third Men’s Indoor Track Performer of the Week honor (2/8/21, 2/3/20, 12/19/19).
Women’s Basketball – Player of the Week
Jenna Taylor, Simpson College
Sr., Creston, Iowa/Creston
- Taylor recorded another double-double in the Storm’s victory over Central (77-61), in the clash of two teams receiving votes from D3hoops.com.
- She now has two back-to-back double-double performances, as the Storm take sole possession of first place in the conference.
- Against the Dutch, Taylor dropped 23 points – shooting 9-for-15 from the floor - and collecting 16 rebounds.
- Taylor currently leads the A-R-C (conference-only) in points per game, averaging 23.0 ppg.
- The Storm have won all three Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors this season.
- This is Taylor’s sixth career Player of the Week accolade (2/8/21, 2/1/21, 2/10/20, 12/17/18, 11/19/18, 11/12/18).
Men’s Basketball – Player of the Week
Patrick Mayfield, University of Dubuque
So., Elgin, Ill./Burlington Central
- Mayfield helped keep the Spartans undefeated and atop the A-R-C standings with a 99-91 win over Loras on Wed., followed by an 87-74 win over Simpson on Sat.
- Over the two games, Mayfield shot 53% from the floor, made 10-of-11 from the free throw line, and scored a combined 46 points.
- Against the Duhawks, the Elgin, Ill. native dropped 25 points and seven rebounds.
- Mayfield produced his second 20-plus point game of the week when he dropped 21 against Simpson while adding three steals.
- The sophomore has started all eight games for Dubuque on the season, averaging 18.5 points per game.
- This is the first time since 2016 two different Spartans have been named Men’s Basketball Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks (Andre Norris & Kain Arthofer, Feb. 2016)
- This is the sophomore’s first-career Athlete of the Week and Player of the Week honors.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week
Brock Lewis, Central College
Jr., Lathrop, Mo./Lathrop
- The Dutch competed at the Wartburg Triangular this weekend, where Central won with 132 team points.
- Lewis won the long jump with a leap measuring 22 feet and 6.5 inches, beating five other competitors.
- He also won the triple jump with a mark of 43 feet and 3.75 inches.
- His jumps both rank top-10 nationally, long jump (No. 5) and triple jump (No. 8).
- Lewis is collecting his second-career Men’s Indoor Track Performer of the Week accolade (2/8/21, 2/10/20).
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week
Mary Gray, Central College
Sr., West Des Moines, Iowa/Waukee
- Central competed at the Wartburg Triangular this weekend, where the Dutch finished second with 115 team points.
- Gray took home first place in the pentathlon with 3,476 points out of five competitors.
- Her pentathlon is ranked No. 1 nationally at the Division III level.
- She raced with the Dutch 4x400 meter relay team that took 2nd out of 8 teams with a time of 4:06.53.
- This is Gray’s first-career Women’s Indoor Track Performer of the Week honor.
Wrestling – Wrestler of the Week
David Hollingsworth, Wartburg College
Jr., 157 lbs., Owings Mills, Md./Owings Mills
- Hollingsworth defeated No. 7-ranked and returning NWCA All-American Rob Areyano of Central College with an 11-6 decision at 157 lbs.
- At the Wartburg Triangular on Saturday, Feb. 6, the Knights shutout both opponents, defeating Central (39-0) and Buena Vista (49-0).
- No. 2-ranked Wartburg (NWCA) remains undefeated at 6-0 in A-R-C duals and remains atop the conference standings.
- This is Hollingsworth’s first career Wrestler of the Week honor.