Wartburg's Frerichs and Nebraska Wesleyan's Knox Named A-R-C Athletes of the Week

Performers of the Week Announced in Five Sports

5/9/2022 1:12:45 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Wartburg College softball player Lauren Frerichs (New Hampton, Iowa/New Hampton) and Nebraska Wesleyan baseball player Kaleb Knox (Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View) have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, May 8, 2022. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in baseball, softball, men’s tennis, and men’s and women’s outdoor track and field.
Female Athlete of the Week – Softball – Position Player of the Week17553
Lauren Frerichs, Wartburg College
Jr., OF, New Hampton, Iowa/New Hampton
  • Frerichs helped lead the Knights to the A-R-C Tournament Champion title, earning a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament.
  • The No. 4-seeded Knights defeated No. 5-seeded Luther (9-2), No. 1-seeded Buena Vista (4-0), and No. 6-seeded Nebraska Wesleyan (5-4) to claim the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
  • The junior outfielder batted .556 in the tournament, scoring three runs, bringing in four, and recording five hits, including a triple and a homerun.
  • Game 1: Luther 2, Wartburg 9 – 3-for-4 (.750), 2 R, 3 H, 3 RBI, 3B, 3 putouts
  • Game 2: Wartburg 4, Buena Vista 0 – 1-for-4 (.250), H, 3 putouts
  • Game 3: Nebraska Wesleyan 4, Wartburg 5 – 1-for-1 (1.000), R, H, RBI, HR, BB, HBP, 3 putouts
  • Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Knights have an overall record of 27-12 and finished league play at 9-7.
  • Frerichs is a 2021 First Team All-Conference performer.
  • The New Hampton native is picking up her first-career Softball Position Player of the Week honor.
Male Athletes of the Week – Baseball – Position Player of the Week17460
Kaleb Knox, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Jr., 3B, Moreno Valley, Calif./Valley View
  • Knox helped the Prairie Wolves to a 2-1 series over Wartburg, clinching its first postseason bid since 2013 and first 20-win season since 2012.
  • In the first game of the series, Knox slammed three home runs and recorded seven RBIs.
  • In game two, the junior third baseman hit another homerun, driving in one run.
  • On the series, Knox batted .538, scoring five runs, driving in eight and holding a 1.462 slugging percentage.
  • Game 1: Nebraska Wesleyan 8, Wartburg 3 – 4-for-5 (.800), 3 R, 4 H, 7 RBI, 3 HR
  • Game 2: Nebraska Wesleyan 12, Wartburg 2 (7 inn.) – 2-for-4 (.500), R, 2 H, RBI, HR
  • Game 3: Nebraska Wesleyan 7, Wartburg 19 (8 inn.) – 1-for-4 (.250), R, H
  • Nebraska Wesleyan finished the regular season with a 20-19 overall record and 13-11 in conference play.
  • Knox is a 2021 All-Conference honorable mention performer.
  • The Moreno Valley native is collecting his fourth-career Baseball Position Player of the Week honor (5/9/22, 4/25/22, 4/19/21, 3/15/21).
Baseball – Pitcher of the Week17252
Ethan Peters, Loras College
Sr., LHP, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis./Wisconsin Rapids
  • Peters helped the Duhawks pick up a pair of wins against Simpson College in the final series of the regular season.
  • The senior left-hander earned his second win on the season in game one, while recording his 13th save of the year in game two.
  • Peters stand atop the NCAA Division III leaderboard in saves this year.
  • Peters recorded seven strikeouts in 3.0 innings pitched, facing just ten batters.
  • Game 1: Simpson 6, Loras 7 – W (2-1), 1.0 IP, H, 3 K, 4 batters faced
  • Game 2: Simpson 4, Loras 7 – 2.0 IP, 4 K, .000 BAA, six batters faced
  • The Duhawks closed out the regular season with a 31-9 overall record and 15-9 in conference play, securing the No. 2 seed heading into the conference tournament.
  • Peters is a 2021 All-Conference performer.
  • The Wisconsin Rapids native is collecting his third-career Baseball Pitcher of the Week honor, all coming this season (5/9/22, 4/25/22, 2/28/22).
Softball – Pitcher of the Week17554
Ashley Nelson, Wartburg College
So., RHP, DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb
  • Nelson started all three games of the A-R-C Tournament, leading the Knights to a championship and the NCAA Division III Tournament.
  • The sophomore right-hander pitched 16.1 innings, allowing just three runs on 14 hits, while striking out eight.
  • The No. 4-seeded Knights defeated No. 5-seeded Luther (9-2), No. 1-seeded Buena Vista (4-0), and No. 6-seeded Nebraska Wesleyan (5-4) to claim the conference’s automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament.
  • Game 1: Luther 2, Wartburg 9 – W (11-4), GS, CG, 7 H, 2 R, 4 K, .250 BAA, 32 batters faced
  • Game 2: Wartburg 4, Buena Vista 0 – W (12-4), GS, CG, Shutout, 3 H, 2 BB, 3 K, .125 BAA, 26 batters faced
  • Game 3: Nebraska Wesleyan 4, Wartburg 5 – GS, 2.1 IP, 4 H, R, K, 12 batters faced
  • Heading into the NCAA Tournament, the Knights have an overall record of 27-12 and finished league play at 9-7.
  • Nelson is a 2021 All-Conference performer.
  • The DeKalb native is picking up her second-career Softball Pitcher of the Week accolade (5/9/22, 3/29/21).
Men’s Tennis – Player of the Week17555
Joaquim Fernandes, Luther College
Fr., Niteroi, Brazil/Colegio Saber
  • Fernandes went 2-0 at No. 3 Doubles, and 1-0 at No. 4 Singles during the A-R-C NCAA Automatic Qualifying Tournament.
  • The Norse defeated Central 5-0 in the semifinal and Coe College 5-1 in the championship match to earn their third-consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships.
  • In doubles, Fernandes partnered with Nando Melo at No. 3 and together defeated Central’s Matt DenAdel and Trey Melvin of Central (8-4) and Coe’s Nathan Meskell and Jordan Oaks (8-5).
  • In singles, Fernandes defeated Meskell at No. 4 singles (7-5, 6-2) to clinch the AQ title for the Norse.
  • Fernandes is picking up his first-career Men’s Tennis Player of the Week honor.
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week16849
Mike Jasa, Loras College
Jr., Fairfax, Iowa/Prairie
  • The Loras Duhawks hosted the Dr. Tucker Open this past weekend in a final tune-up before the A-R-C Championships.
  • Jasa continued to cement himself in NCAA history with the 12th fastest time in Division III history in the 800-meter run.
  • The junior ran 1:48.70 to take the national league this year and break his own school record by two seconds.
  • In addition to his performance in the 800-meter run, Jasa anchored the 4-by-400-meter relay team that won the event with a time of 3:18.11.
  • The Fairfax, Iowa native is collecting his second-career Men’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Week, in addition to being on the 4x800-meter relay teams that have received the honor twice this season (5/9/22, 4/19/21).
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week17438
Cade Collier, University of Dubuque
Jr., LeClaire, Iowa/Pleasant Valley
  • Collier and the Dubuque Spartans competed at the Loras College Dr. Tucker Open this past weekend.
  • In the shot put, Collier finished first out of 26 competitors with a toss of 16.56-meters.
  • The junior sits at the top of the conference and Midwest Region, and fifth in the NCAA.
  • Collier also finished first out of 23 competitors in the hammer throw, throwing 57.66 meters, and beating a University of Iowa thrower on the final throw to set a facility record.
  • In the discus throw, the junior threw 44.58 meters, finishing fourth out of 25 competitors.
  • The LeClaire, Iowa native is collecting his third-career Men’s Outdoor Field Performer of the week accolade, all coming this season (5/9/22, 5/2/22, 4/19/22).
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week16977
Bella Hogue, Nebraska Wesleyan University
So., Murray, Neb./Conestoga
  • Hogue and the Prairie Wolves competed as the University of South Dakota Twilight Event this past weekend.
  • The sophomore clocked the second-fastest time in the 200-meter dash in NCAA Division III this season.
  • Hogue ran a 24.21, which was the top time for any non-NCAA Division I member, finishing in third.
  • In addition, Hogue was also a member of Nebraska Wesleyan’s 4-by-400-meter relay team that won the event with a time of 3:50.46.
  • The Murray, Nebraska native is collecting her second-career Women’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Week honor (5/9/22, 4/19/22).
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week17562
Demetria Johnson, University of Dubuque
Sr., Rock Island, Ill./Rock Island
  • Johnson and the Dubuque Spartans competed at the Loras College Dr. Tucker Open this past Saturday in the final tune-up before the A-R-C Championships.
  • Johnson finished second out of 14 in the long jump.
  • The senior jumped 5.70 meters to finish as the top Division III finisher.
  • Johnson sits at number two in the conference, fourth in the Midwest Region, and 23rd in the nation.
  • The Spartan senior also placed fourth in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 14.84.
  • The Rock Island native is picking up her first-career Women’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Week honor.
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