Loras' Gnida and Luther's Jones Named A-R-C Athletes of the Week

Performers of the Week Announced in Seven Sports

1/16/2023 12:06:15 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras wrestler Zeb Gnida (Solon, Iowa/Solon) and Luther College women’s basketball player Kailey Jones (Avoca, Iowa/AHSWT) have been named American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, January 15, 2023. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, and wrestling.
Female Athlete of the Week – Women’s Basketball – Player of the Week18658
Kailey Jones, Luther College
So., F, Avoca, Iowa/AHSWT
  • Jones led the Norse to one conference win last week.
  • Luther hosted Central College in an exciting double overtime game where the Norse came out on top 94-89.
  • Shooting 80% from behind the arc and 58% from the field, Jones totaled for a career-high 32 points and grabbed 21 rebounds to record a double-double.
  • She went 11-for-19 from the field and 4-5 from deep. She additionally went a perfect 6-for-6 from the line.
  • Luther improved to 10-6 overall and 5-2 in the A-R-C.
  • The Norse travel to Dubuque on Wednesday and host Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday.
  • The Avoca native is earning her first Player of the Week accolade.
Male Athlete of the Week - Wrestling - Wrestler of the Week18659
Zeb Gnida, Loras College
Jr., 174lbs., Solon, Iowa/Solon
  • Gnida finished the week with a 6-0 record including a 5-0 record to win the 174-lb bracket at the Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invite on Saturday.
  • The No. 12-ranked Loras Duhawks started the week on Thursday with a dual victory over the No. 11-ranked Central College Dutch.
  • Gnida recorded a fall in 1:19 over Austin Roos of Central in the conference dual.
  • The Duhawks finished the Cornell College’s Keen-Duroe invite fourth out of 16 teams.
  • In the first round, Gnida defeated Augsburg’s Connor Thorsten by major decision (17-4).
  • He moved on to face Drake Tiedemann of Luther, winning by tech fall (16-1).
  • Gnida defeated Coe’s LJ Richardson (5-3) and Augsburg’s Carter Sorenson (7-4) to advance to the bracket championship.
  • Gnida took home the 174-lb crown after defeating Cornell’s Jacob Sherzer by major decision 11-1.
  • The Loras Duhawks improved to 11-3 overall and are 2-0 in league play.
  • The Solon native is garnering his first-career Wrestler of the Week honors.
Men’s Basketball – Player of the Week18660
Grant Johnson, Central
Sr., F, Van Meter, Iowa/Van Meter
  • Johnson helped the Dutch go a perfect 2-0 in conference play during the week.
  • The Dutch picked up a home win over Buena Vista (79-70) on Wednesday and went on the road to Luther travelling home with a close 62-60 win.
  • In Wednesday’s game, Johnson shot 58% from the field. He recorded a double-double scoring 21 points, dishing out 2 assists, grabbing 10 rebounds, and accounting for 1 blocked shot.
  • On Saturday, his success continued with another double-double tallying 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 blocked shot.
  • Overall on the week, Johnson averaged 16.5 points per game and 10 rebounds while shooting 55%.
  • The Dutch improved to 11-4 overall and 6-1 in league play to grab the top in the standings.
  • This is the Van Meter native’s first Player of the Week accolade.
Women’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week18451
Kate Minette, Simpson College
So., Liberty, Mo./Liberty
  • Minette and the Simpson Storm competed in a dual meet against Saint Mary’s (Kan.) on Saturday.
  • The sophomore was the only Storm swimmer to win multiple individual races.
  • Minette swam a 25.82 in the 50-yard freestyle to win the event.
  • In the 100-yard freestyle, Minette hit the wall first, recording a 57.69.
  • Minette also anchored the 200-yard freestyle relay, clocking a 25.15, which was the fastest individual leg by any swimmer by over two seconds.
  • The Storm 200-yard freestyle relay won the race with a time of 1:47.62.
  • This is the Liberty, Missouri native’s second time earning Performer of the Week honors (12/5/22).
Men’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week18661
Gabe Armstrong, Luther College
Fr., Farmington, Minn./Farmington
  • Armstrong and the Luther Norse competed in the Norse Sprint Invite, hosted on the campus of Luther College.
  • The Norse finished third of six teams, compiling 548 points.
  • Armstrong was a member of the 200-medley relay team that finished third with a time of 1:38.44.
  • The first year from the Norse also competed in the 50 breaststroke, claiming fifth place with a time of 27.98.
  • He was the top Division III finisher behind five swimmers all from Iowa Central.
  • Armstrong rounded out his performances with a third-place finish in the 100 breaststroke, finishing with a time of 1:01.84.
  • The Farmington, Minnesota native is collecting his first ever Performer of the Week honor.
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week18662
Mike Jasa, Loras College
Sr., Fairfax, Iowa/Prairie
  • Jasa and the Loras College Duhawks competed at St. Ambrose University’s Battle in the Hive this past weekend.
  • The Duhawks took home the team crown out of seven teams.
  • Jasa set a new NCAA Division III record in the 600-meter run, placing first with a time of 1:18.67.
  • The previous record was set by Colfay Pointer of the University of Dubuque in 2019.
  • Jasa was also a member of the 4x400-meter relay team that finished first of 10 teams.
  • They ran a time of 3:20.14, which ranks second in the conference and fourth in Division III this season.
  • The Fairfax native is earning his seventh Indoor Track Performer of the Week honors in his career (1/16/23, 2/7/22, 1/31/22, 12/13/21, 2/8/21, 2/3/20, 12/19/19).
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week18663
Sam Beatty, Central College
Sr., Mount Pleasant, Iowa/Mount Pleasant
  • Beatty competed at the Dutch Athletics Classic, hosted by Central College, where the Dutch finished first of five teams.
  • The senior took home the crown in the high jump, jumping 6’8.75” on Saturday.
  • Beatty ranks first in the league and third nationally on the performance lists.
  • His performance was a personal best in his first meet of the season.
  • The Mount Pleasant native is garnering his first-career Indoor Field Performer of the Week honor.
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week18673186741867218675
4x400-Meter Relay Team, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Isabella Hilger, Jr., David City, Neb./Aquinas
Alexa Koza, Jr., Omaha, Neb./Millard West
Gabby Thomas, Jr., Erie, Colo./Holy Family
Isabella Hogue, Jr., Murray, Neb./Conestoga
  • The Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves competed at the Nebraska Graduate Classic, hosted by the University of Nebraska.
  • The Prairie Wolves’ 4x400-meter relay team placed sixth as a team with a time of 3:54.99, which is the fastest time ran in the conference this season.
  • Their performance this weekend put them second on the NCAA Division III performance list.
  • This is the second relay from Nebraska Wesleyan to receive the Women’s Track Performers of the Week honor for the indoor season (2/4/2018).
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week18664
Abby Marr, Central College
Sr., Riceville, Iowa/Riceville
  • Marr and Central College competed in the Dutch Athletics Classic, hosted on their home track.
  • The Dutch finished first of five teams.
  • Marr took the crown in weight throw out of 12 competitors, throwing 17.16-meters which sits at No. 5 on the NCAA Division III qualifying list.
  • Marr sits at the top of the conference performance list in the weight throw.
  • The senior also competed in the shot put, finishing third of 12 athletes, with a toss of 11.97-meters.
  • The Riceville native is picking up her first-career Indoor Field Performer of the Week honor.
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