Loras' Fleckenstein and Wartburg's Wright Named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week

Performers of the Week Announced in Six Sports

2/21/2022 11:05:40 AM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College women’s basketball player Madison Fleckenstein (Asbury, Iowa/Hempstead) and Wartburg College track and field athlete Dallas Wright (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle) have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 20, 2022. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, men’s tennis, and wrestling.
Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Basketball – Player of the Week16883
Madison Fleckenstein, Loras College
Jr., G, Asbury, Iowa/Hempstead
  • Fleckenstein helped lead the Duhawks to a 2-1 week, finishing the regular season with an 18-7 overall mark and 12-4 in league play.
  • The Duhawks had wins over Luther College (78-63) and University of Dubuque (88-82).
  • In a double overtime thriller, the Duhawks came up short to No. 19-ranked Wartburg College (95-86).
  • Fleckenstein averaged 20.7 points while shooting 65 percent from the field on the week.
  • The junior guard had back-to-back career nights for the Duhawks, collecting 23 points in Loras’ win over Dubuque and 24 points in the loss to Wartburg.
  • Fleckenstein made four three-pointers in addition to three assists and three rebounds in the victory over the Spartans.
  • In the close loss to the Knights, Fleckenstein grabbed seven rebounds and recorded three steals.
  • The Asbury, Iowa native is picking up her second-career Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honor (2/21/22, 12/20/21).
Male Athlete of the Week – Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week17198
Dallas Wright, Wartburg College
Sr., Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle
  • The Wartburg Knights hosted the Liz Wuertz Invite on Saturday, February 19th.
  • Wright had a successful outing after resetting the school and conference record in the 200-meter dash, running 21.67.
  • His performance in the 200-meter dash this past weekend leads Division III.
  • The senior also sits at No. 3 in Division III in the 60-meter hurdles after running 8.02 this weekend.
  • Wright also anchored the Knights winning 4x400 relay team which ran 3:20.10.
  • He took home the crown in all three events.
  • The Carlisle, Iowa native is collecting his third-career, and first this season, Men’s Indoor Track Performer of the Week honor (2/21/22, 2/15/21, 2/17/20).
Men’s Basketball – Player of the Week17201
Cael Schmitt, Coe College
So., G, Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert
  • Schmitt helped lead the Kohawks to a 2-0 week in league play with wins over Wartburg (91-75) and Nebraska Wesleyan (79-62).
  • The sophomore guard scored a season-high 22 points in the victory over the Knights, shooting 8-of-15 from the floor and 6-of-7 from behind the arc.
  • He also recorded six assists, three steals, and two rebounds in Wednesday’s game.
  • Schmitt followed that with a career afternoon at Nebraska Wesleyan, posting a career-high 34 points, five assists, and three steals.
  • On the week, Schmitt averaged28 points and 5.5 assists per game.
  • Schmitt is a 2020-21 All-Conference performer.
  • The Dubuque, Iowa native is collecting his first-career Men’s Basketball Player of the Week accolade.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week16979
Aaliyah Collier, University of Dubuque
Fr., Glendale Heights, Ill./Glenbard West
  • The Spartans hosted the University of Dubuque Solomon W. Butler Classic on Saturday, February 19th.
  • Collier competed in six events this weekend, taking the title in two events and finishing second in two events.
  • The freshman won the high jump setting the University of Dubuque school record with a jump of 1.70-meters.
  • Her performance in the high jump is ranked No. 2 in the league and sits tied for No. 5 on NCAA DIII qualifying lists.
  • Collier also finished first out of 14 competitors in the triple jump after jumping 11.41-meters.
  • Her triple jump mark sits No. 2 in the A-R-C and No. 26 in DIII.
  • The freshman is recording her first career Women’s Field Performer of the Week accolade.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week17199
Maddie Moran, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Tecumseh, Neb./Johnson County Central
  • Moran ran at the Husker Tune-Up this past weekend.
  • She clocked the fastest time in NCAA Division III in the 60-meter dash.
  • The senior ran a 7.59 in the event, which is also a new school record.
  • At the Husker Tune-Up, Moran was the highest DIII finisher, finishing behind athletes from DI and DII institutions.
  • The Tecumseh, Nebraska native is collecting her first career Women’s Track Performer of the Week accolade.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week17195
JaTavion Hawkins, University of Dubuque
Jr., Fitchburg, Wis./Verona
  • The Spartans hosted the Solomon W. Butler Classic on Saturday, February 19th.
  • Hawkins competed in the long jump and the high jump and finished second in both.
  • The junior jumped 6.89-meters in the long jump which ranks third in the league.
  • In the high jump, Hawkins jumped 2.00-meters.
  • His efforts in the high jump this weekend rank Hawkins No. 4 in the A-R-C.
  • The junior is garnering his first career Men’s Indoor Field Performer of the Week honor.
Men’s Tennis – Player of the Week17197
Lucas Huffman, Wartburg College
Sr., Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar
  • The Knights went 2-1 on the week defeating Carroll University (9-0) and University of St. Francis (4-3) and losing to Elmhurst University (4-5).
  • Huffman was a perfect 3-0 on the week at No. 1 Singles defeating Tomas Bella of Elmhurst (6-0, 6-2), Jack McCaffery of Carroll (6-0, 6-0), and Erwan Le Guennec of St. Francis (6-4, 7-5).
  • In doubles play at No.1 with his partner Jackson Eels, the duo went 0-2 losing to Bella and Justin Pendos of Elmhurst (5-8) and Le Guennec and Sebastian Bahamondes of St. Francis (3-6).
  • Huffman has an overall singles record of 8-1 and overall doubles record of 3-5.
  • The Knights improved to 9-5 on the season.
  • Huffman is a two-time All-Conference performer at singles and doubles.
  • The senior is collecting his sixth-career Player of the Week honor for the Knights (2/21/22, 3/29/21, 3/8/21, 2/22/21, 3/18/19, 2/18/19).
Wrestling – Wrestler of the Week17196
Aiden Evans, Loras College
So., 133lbs., Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf
  • No. 7-ranked Loras College defeated Simpson 38-10, finishing the regular season with a 12-1 overall record and 7-1 in A-R-C action.
  • Evans started the Duhawks off with the quickest pin of the night, pinning Joe Weaver in 52 seconds.
  • The sophomore collected his tenth pin of the season, improving to 16-4 on the season.
  • The Duhawks took seven of the ten weight classes.
  • The Bettendorf, Iowa native is picking up his first-career Wrestler of the Week honor.
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