Luther's Vila and Central's Grond Named A-R-C Athletes of the Week

Performers of the Week Announced in Six Sports

10/11/2022 12:25:00 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Luther College men’s soccer player Marcos Vila (Madrid, Spain/I.E.S. San Fernando) and Central College women’s golfer Lydia Grond (Hull, Iowa/Boyden-Hull) have been named American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, October 9, 2022. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in football, women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s tennis, and volleyball.
Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Golf – Golfer of the Week17935
Lydia Grond, Central College
So., Hull, Iowa/Boyden-Hull
  • Grond took home medalist honors at the 2022 A-R-C Women’s Golf Championships at Ames Golf & Country Club in Ames, Iowa this weekend.
  • The sophomore shot rounds of 78-74-80-232 (+19), three strokes clear of second place.
  • The Dutch took home the team title for the first time since 2018 with a team score of 936 (+84).
  • Grond is picking up her first-career Golfer of the Week accolade of her career.
Male Athlete of the Week – Men’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week17755
Marcos Vila, Luther College
5th Year, F, Madrid, Spain/I.E.S. San Fernando
  • Vila scored four goals and delivered two assists for 10 points in Luther’s 1-0-1 week.
  • The Norse picked up a 6-0 win over Loras and 3-3 draw with Nebraska Wesleyan.
  • Vila recorded a hat trick the Luther’s win over Loras.
  • The fifth year forward tallied nine shots, six of which were on goal.
  • After his 10-point weekend, Vila moved to fifth all-time in program history in career goals (45) and ranks eighth all-time in career points with 115.
  • Luther improved to 8-1-3 overall and 2-0-2 in A-R-C play.
  • Vila is a three-time All-Conference performer in addition to being named 2020 (Spring 2021) Offensive Most Valuable Player.
  • The Madrid, Spain native is garnering his fourth-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (11/5/18, 10/4/21, 9/12/22, 10/11/22).
Football – Offensive Player of the Week17933
Hunter Clasen, Wartburg College
Sr., RB, Springbrook, Iowa/Bellevue
  • Clasen helped lead the No. 17-ranked Wartburg Knights to a 35-28 victory over Central College on Saturday.
  • The senior running back scored the game-winning touchdown with 21 seconds left in the game.
  • Clasen recorded 131 rushing yards with two touchdowns, both coming in the fourth quarter of the game.
  • He added 24 receiving yards to bring his total yards of offense to 155.
  • Clasen is a 2021 First-Team All-Conference performer in addition to being named Honorable Mention in 2019.
  • The Springbrook native is picking up his first Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Football – Defensive Player of the Week17934
Owen Grover, Wartburg College
Sr., LB, Dyersville, Iowa/Beckman Catholic
  • Grover helped the No. 17-ranked Wartburg Knights to a 35-28 victory over Central College on Saturday.
  • The senior linebacker led the Knights in total tackles with six solo and four assisted.
  • Grover recorded a sack, fumble recovery, and returned an interception 21 yards.
  • In addition to his defensive performance, Grover also punted the ball three times, averaging 41.7 yards per punt.
  • The No. 17 Knights have a perfect 6-0 overall record and improved to 4-0 in A-R-C action.
  • Grover is a 2021 Second-Team All-Conference performer.
  • The Dyersville native is garnering his second-career Defensive Player of the Week award (9/30/19, 10/11/22).
Football – Special Teams Player of the Week17753
Cael O’Neill, Wartburg College
Jr., K, Solon, Iowa/Solon
  • O’Neill helped the No. 17-ranked Wartburg Knights to a 35-28 victory over Central College on Saturday.
  • The junior kicker made two field goals and three PATs in the win.
  • In addition, O’Neill had seven kickoffs for an average of 56.4 yards per kick.
  • The No. 17 Knights have a perfect 6-0 overall record and improved to 4-0 in A-R-C action.
  • This is the Solon native’s second-career Special Teams Player of the Week honor (9/12/22, 10/11/22).
Men’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week17939
John Foster, Central College
Jr., GK, Lee’s Summit, Mo./North
  • Foster recorded a pair of shutouts last week, including a road draw at Wartburg.
  • The Knights defeated Coe College 3-0 on Saturday.
  • The junior goalkeeper played all 90 minutes of both matches.
  • Foster combined eight saves between the two contests, facing 23 shots.
  • The Dutch are now 2-7-2 overall and 1-1-1 in A-R-C action.
  • Foster is a two-time Honorable Mention performer.
  • This marks the Lee’s Summit, Missouri native’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week nod.
Women’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week17727
Ryleigh O’Brien, Loras College
Sr., F, Hampton, Ill./United Township
  • O’Brien scored three goals and recorded one assist in Loras’ 2-0 week.
  • The senior forward scored both goals in the 2-0 victory over Luther on Wednesday.
  • O’Brien scored a goal and recorded an assist in the 3-0 victory over Simpson on Saturday.
  • With her three goals on the week, O’Brien leads the A-R-C with 12 goals on the season.
  • The Duhawks improved to 9-0-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in conference play.
  • The Hampton, Illinois native is collecting her fourth-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (11/8/21, 9/6/22, 99/26/22, 10/11/22).
Women’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week17940
Olivia Lansing, Loras College
Sr., D, Davenport, Iowa/Assumption
  • Lansing helped lead the Duhawks to two shutouts over conference opponents this week.
  • Loras defeated Luther College 2-0 on Wednesday and Simpson College 3-0 on Saturday.
  • The senior defender played in all 90 minutes in both contests and was the primary defender for the top goal scorers of each team.
  • The Duhawks improved to 9-0-3 overall and a perfect 3-0 in conference play.
  • Lansing is a two-time All-Conference performer.
  • The Davenport native is garnering her second Defensive Player of the Week honor (10/4/21, 10/11/22).
Women’s Tennis – Player of the Week17937
Madison Schultz, Coe College
So., Jasper, Ga./James Madison
  • Schultz led the Coe Kohawks to a 2-1 week with the lone loss coming to Luther College (2-7).
  • The Kohawks defeated Illinois College (8-1) and UW-Stevens Point (5-4) to close out the fall season.
  • At the No. 1 singles slot, Schultz defeated Luther’s Renata Martinez 6-1, 6-0 and Illinois College’s Michelle Maag 6-0, 6-0.
  • In her lone loss of the week, Schultz lost at No. 1 singles to UW-Stevens Point’s Quinlyn Mack 3-6, 2-6.
  • In doubles play with partner Jania Carter-Johnson at No. 1, the duo went 3-0 on the week.
  • The duo defeated Luther’s Sofia Sackett/Julia Moreno 8-3, Illinois College’s Maag/Lily Ingram 8-1, and UW-Stevens Point’s Mack/Tristin Jantz 8-4.
  • Coe College improved to 10-1 overall and finish conference play with a 7-1 record.
  • Schultz was the 2021 A-R-C Most Valuable Player.
  • The Jasper, Georgia native is collecting her third-career Player of the Week honor (9/20/21, 9/6/22, 10/11/22).
Volleyball – Offensive Player of the Week17857
Allison Feigenbaum, Wartburg College
So., MB, Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar
  • Feigenbaum helped lead to a pair of conference victories over the weekend.
  • The Knights defeated Central College (3-1) on Friday night and Simpson College (3-2) on Saturday.
  • The sophomore middle blocker continues a strong season, leading the Knights with 28 kills and .393 hitting percentage on the week.
  • Feigenbaum tallied a career-high 15 kills in the victory over the Dutch.
  • Wartburg moved their winning streak to eight and improved to 13-6 overall and a perfect 5-0 in league play.
  • The Marion native is picking up her second-career volleyball Offensive Player of the Week honor (9/26/22, 10/11/22).
Volleyball – Defensive Player of the Week17938
Kennady Klein, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., L, Pella, Iowa/Pella Community
  • Klein helped the Prairie Wolves to a 1-1 week against conference opponents.
  • Nebraska Wesleyan lost to University of Dubuque (1-3) on Friday night and came back on Saturday with a win over Loras College (3-1).
  • The senior recorded 53 digs over eight sets, only recording one reception error.
  • In the victory over Loras, Klein recorded a season-high 28 digs.
  • She stands atop the conference leaderboard with 4.89 digs per set.
  • In addition, Klein tallied three aces in each of the matches.
  • The Prairie Wolves are 13-6 overall and 3-2 in A-R-C action.
  • The Pella native is earning her first Defensive Player of the Week honor in her career.
 
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