NWU's Roth, Simpson's Richmond Earn A-R-C Softball Players of the Week Recognition

3/22/2021 2:13:48 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College baseball player Luke Fennelly (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption) and Coe College volleyball player Majda Suljic (Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, March 21, 2021. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in baseball, softball, men’s tennis, and volleyball.

Female Athlete of the Week – Volleyball – Defensive Player of the Week14871
Majda Suljic, Coe College
Jr., Libero, Cedar Falls, Iowa/Cedar Falls
  • Suljic helped guide the Kohawks to a 2-0 week, defeating NWU (3-0) and Loras (3-1) to wrap up the spring season.
  • In the sweep over Nebraska Wesleyan, Suljic tallied 13 digs and four assists, while only recording one receiving error.
  • In the season finale against the Duhawks, she recorded a season-high 41 digs, while having one serving ace to guide the Kohawks to the road victory.
  • Also in the Loras match, the junior also recorded zero receiving errors and had an additional three assists for Coe.
  • The Kohawks finished the season with a record of 7-1.
  • The Cedar Falls, Iowa native is collecting her second Defensive Player of the Week accolade of the season and her third of her career (3/22/21, 3/8/21, 10/28/19).
 
Male Athlete of the Week – Baseball – Position Player of the Week14931
Luke Fennelly, Loras College
Sr., INF, Davenport, Iowa/Assumption
  • Fennelly had a hot bat during the opening weekend of A-R-C play this weekend as he recorded four home runs in the four-game series sweep of Nebraska Wesleyan.
  • He had a career-high two home runs in the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, while hitting four doubles and collecting seven RBIs in the four games this weekend.
  • Game 1: Loras 6, NWU 5 – 1-for-4 (.250), R, H, 3-putouts, 3-assists
  • Game 2: Loras 16, NWU 7 – 3-for-4 (.750), 4 R, 3 H, RBI, 2 2B, HR, 2 BB, 3-assists
  • Game 3: Loras 15, NWU 6 – 3-for-3 (1.000), 5 R, 3 H, 4 RBI, 2B, 2 HR, BB, HBP, putout, 5-assists
  • Game 4: Loras 14, NWU 4 (F/7) – 2-for-3 (.667), 3 R, 2 H, 2 RBI, 2B, HR, BB, HBP, putout, assist
  • Fenelly is the first Duhawk to earn Position Player of the Week recognition since Danny Weis in 2017 (3/5/17).
  • The senior infielder is collecting his first-career Position Player of the Week honor.
 
Baseball – Pitcher of the Week14929
TJ Deardorff, Coe College
Sr., P, Dubuque, Iowa/Dubuque Senior
  • Deardorff earned his first victory on the mound Saturday for the Kohawks in dominant fashion at Central.
  • The senior right-handed pitcher pitched a one-hit shutout while tossing all seven innings in the opening game of Day 2, while allowing no free passes.
  • Game 1: Coe 5, Central 0 – W, 7.0 IP, 1 H, 7 K, 25 batters faced (10 ground outs).
  • Coe improves to 7-2 on the season and 3-1 in conference play.
  • Deardorff is earning his first-career Pitcher of the Week accolades.

Softball – Pitcher Player of the Week14934
Randie Richmond, Simpson College
Jr., P, Blakesburg, Iowa/Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont
  • Richmond went 2-0 in Simpson’s three-game sweep of Buena Vista this weekend, getting a complete-game win in game two and earning the win in relief in game three.
  • The junior did not allow an earned run in her 11.0 innings pitched, while holding the Beavers bats to a .154 average after entering the weekend with a team average of .348.
  • She was part of a Simpson pitching staff that posted a 0.43 ERA against Buena Vista on the weekend.
  • Game 1: Simpson 7, Buena Vista 1 – GS-CG, W, 7.0 IP, 4 H, R (unearned), 3 K, .154 BAA, 26 batters faced, 1 putout, 1 assist.
  • Game 2: Simpson 6, Buena Vista 2 – W, 4.0 IP, 2 H, R (unearned), 3 K, .154 BAA, 16 batters faced, 1 putout, 4 assists.
  • Richmond is collecting her first-career Pitcher of the Week honor.
 
Softball – Position Player of the Week14933
Hanna Roth, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Fr., OF/SS, Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln North Star
  • Roth helped guide the Prairie Wolves to a three-game series sweep over Loras this weekend in Dubuque.
  • On the weekend, the freshman went 5-for-12 (.416 average) at the plate with five runs scored, three doubles, four RBIs, and a home run.
  • Game 1: NWU 5, Loras 2 – 2-for4 (.500), 2 R, 2 H, 2 RBIs, HR.
  • Game 2: NWU 14, Loras 5 – 2-for-3 (.667), 2 R, 2 H, 2 RBI, 2 2B, HBP.
  • Game 3: NWU 11, Loras 4 – 1-for-5 (.200), R, H, 2B.
  • This is the Lincoln, Neb. native’s first-career Position Player of the Week average.

Men’s Tennis – Player of the Week14932
Tommy Linkenheld, Loras College
Jr., Belvidere, Ill./Belvidere North
  • Linkenfeld went 4-0 on the weekend in doubles and singles play for the Duhawks in matches against Buena Vista (9-0) and Nebraska Wesleyan (7-2).
  • Against the Beavers on Saturday, he won his match at No. 3 singles against Aaron Mumm (6-0, 6-1).
  • He turned around on Sunday and defeated NWU’s Will Olson 6-2, 6-2 to complete his 2-0 singles record on the week.
  • In doubles competition, Linkenheld and his partner, Konnor Barth, played No. 2 doubles in both matches.
  • The pair defeated BVU’s Aaron Mumm and Kris Mintle (8-1) and NWU’s Will Olson and Vingh Le (8-5).
  • The Duhawks start A-R-C play with a 2-0 record and currently hold a four-match win streak, while improving to 6-3 overall on the season.
  • This marks Linkenheld’s first-career Men’s Tennis Player of the Week honor.
 
Volleyball – Offensive Player of the Week14930
Kate Tidman, Coe College
So., OH, Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar
  • Tidman also help guide the Kohawks to their 2-0 week, defeating NWU (3-0) and Loras (3-1).
  • On the week, Tidman collected 33 kills and 27 digs for the No. 12-ranked Kohawks.
  • In the match against Nebraska Wesleyan, the sophomore posted 13 kills and 10 digs for her third double-double of the season, while also recording two service aces.
  • The Bondurant, Iowa native was on fire in the season finale at Loras, tallying 20 kills while hitting at a clip of .327.
  • In the Loras match, she also added 17 digs increasing her double-double total to four on the season.
  • The Kohawks finished the season with a record of 7-1.
  • Tidman is receiving her second Offensive Player of the Week accolade of her career (3/22/21, 9/16/19).
 
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