Nebraska Wesleyan's Etherton and Wartburg's Brown Named A-R-C Athletes of the Week - Week Ending 1/22/23

Performers of the Week Announced in Seven Sports

1/23/2023 12:47:59 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Nebraska Wesleyan University men’s track & field runner Eli Etherton (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East) and Wartburg College women’s track & field runner Lexi Brown (New London, Iowa/New London) have been named American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, January 22, 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 Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week18690
Lexi Brown, Wartburg College
Sr., New London, Iowa/New London
  • The Wartburg Knights and Brown competed at the Cyclone Open hosted by Iowa State on Saturday.
  • Brown placed third, behind two Division I runners, in the 3K race.
  • The senior ran a 9:46.39 race, which currently ranks her third best in Division III.
  • Brown and the Knights will be back on the track this Friday and Saturday when they travel to the University of Minnesota.
  • This is the New London native is picking up her first-career Indoor Track Performer of the Week honor.
Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week18691
Eli Etherton, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Jr., Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East
  • Etherton and the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves hosted the Prairie Wolf Invitational on Friday.
  • The junior competed in the 60M hurdles with a time of 8.19 in the prelims and 8.11 in the finals.
  • His finals time in the 60M hurdles ranks third best in Division III currently and moved him to second overall in the NWU record book.
  • Etherton and the Prairie Wolves compete again this Saturday when they travel to Doane University.
  • The Lincoln, Nebraska native is earning his first Indoor Track Performer of the Week honors
Men’s Basketball – Player of the Week18626
Peter Lash, Nebraska Wesleyan University
So., F, Charlotte, N.C., Charlotte Christian
  • Lash helped lead the Prairie Wolves to a 1-1 record in conference play during the week.
  • The Prairie Wolves picked up a home win over Coe (87-73) on Wednesday and went on the road to Luther traveling home with a 79-65 loss.
  • In Wednesday’s game, Lash shot 53% from the field. He recorded 26 points, eight rebounds, dished out two assists, had one blocked shot, and one steal to lead NWU to a conference win.
  • On Saturday, Lash played all 40 minutes of action shooting 50% from behind the arc and 47.3% from the field. He tallied 28 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, one blocked shot, and one steal.
  • Overall, on the week, he averaged 27 points and 10 rebounds.
  • The Prairie Wolves moved to 11-7 overall and 6-3 in league action.
  • The Charlotte, North Carolina native is earning his fifth Player of the Week honor (11/29/21, 12/6/21, 12/20/21, 1/31/22, 1/3/22, 1/23/22).
Women’s Basketball – Player of the Week18692
Allison Van Gorp, Central College
Sr., C, Pella, Iowa/Pella Christian
  • Van Gorp led the Dutch to a 1-1 split in conference play last week.
  • Central hosted Simpson on Wednesday in an exciting overtime game where the Dutch came up short 83-79. The Dutch traveled to Dubuque on Saturday where they picked up a league win over the Spartans (69-63).
  • Shooting 67% from the field versus the Storm, Van Gorp tallied 24 points, 13 rebounds, four blocked shots, one steal, and one assist.
  • On the road, Van Gorp added 20 points, 13 rebounds, four blocked shots, one steal, and one assist.
  • Almost matching stats for the week, Van Gorp picked up back-to-back double-doubles in conference action.
  • She averaged 22 points per game while shooting 67% from the field and averaged 13 rebounds each game.
  • Central moved their overall record to 5-13 and their A-R-C record to 2-7.
  • The Pella native is earning her first Player of the Week accolade.
Women’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week18693
Elena Lazzaretto, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Venice, Italy
  • Lazzaretto and Nebraska Wesleyan competed at the Grinnell Invitational on Friday and Saturday.
  • The freshman took second in the 100-yard backstroke, recording a time of 1:00.50.
  • In the 100-yard IM, Lazzaretto took silver, with a time of 1:02.10.
  • Lazzaretto swam in the 200-yard backstroke and took third, recording a 2:15.22.
  • The Prairie Wolves finished 4th out of 7 teams at the invitational.
  • Lazzaretto and Nebraska Wesleyan will be back in the pool on Saturday when they hosted Barton Community College in a dual.
  • This is the Venice, Italy native’s first time earning Performer of the Week honors.
Men’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week18117
Colin Halverson, Luther College
Fr., Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek
  • Halverson earned his second NCAA Regional qualifying mark over the weekend in the 1M dive and assisted Luther in earning fourth at the Grinnell Invitational.
  • The freshman met the NCAA Regional qualifying score in the 1M with a combined 11-dive score of 434.75 in an event he claimed gold in.
  • In the 3M dive, he had a career best 11-dive score of 422.90 to claim a silver medal.
  • The Norse are out of the pool until the conference championship hosted by Coe College on February 16-18.
  • The Oak Creek, Wisconsin native is garnering his third Performer of the Week honors (11/7/22, 11/22/22, 1/23/23).  
Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week18694
Holden Murphy, Loras College
Jr., Benton, Wis./Benton-Scales Mound
  • Murphy competed at the University of Dubuque Kenneth “Moco” Mercer Open on Saturday, where he set a school record in the weight throw and Loras finished first out of five teams.
  • The junior took home second place in the weight throw, throwing 17.69 meters, to set the Loras school record. This currently ranks 13th in the country.
  • In the shot put, he threw for 14.87 meters to finish third out of 24 competitors.
  • Murphy and Loras is back in action this Friday at the Aurora University Grand Prix and then Saturday at the University of Dubuque.
  • The Benton, Wisconsin native is earning his second-career Indoor Field Performer of the Week honor (1/24/22, 1/23/23).
Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week18695
Kaitlyn Wilder, University of Dubuque
Jr., Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton
  • Wilder assisted the Spartans to a second-place finish at their home Kenneth “Moco” Mercer Open and she competed at the University of Iowa Larry Wieczorek Invitational.
  • At Dubuque’s home event, Wilder finished on top out of 15 competitors throwing 13.08 meters in the shot put.
  • In the weight throw, the junior picked up another win with a throw of 17.61 meters.
  • Her throw of 17.61 meters sits as the sixth best in Division III this season.
  • At the University of Iowa Larry Wieczorek Invitational, Wilder competed in the weight throw premier where she finished tenth out of sixteen competitors with a throw of 16.67 meters.
  • Wilder and Dubuque will be in action again this Saturday at their home invite.
  • The Dunkerton native is picking up her third-career Indoor Field Performer of the Week honor (2/22/21, 2/7/22, 1/23/23).
Wrestling - Wrestler of the Week18175
Shane Liegel, Loras College
Sr., 184lbs., Spring Green, Wis./River Valley
  • Liegel led the No. 7-ranked Loras Duhawks to a 4-0 day at the A-R-C duals, including two victories over ranked teams.
  • The Duhawks defeated Nebraska Wesleyan University (49-3), Simpson College (43-3), No. 19 Coe College (24-16), and No. 9 Luther College (29-17).
  • Liegel was the only Duhawk to go 4-0 on the day with two wins by fall, one by major decision, and one decision over the No. 4 wrestler.
  • The senior defeated Sam Weaver of Nebraska Wesleyan by fall (1:09), Simpson’s Andrew Wolff by fall (0:35), Coe’s Tristin Westphal by major decision (13-2), and No. 4 Donovan Corn of Luther by Decision (5-3).
  • The No. 7 Loras Duhawks improved to 15-3 overall and 6-0 in the conference.
  • Liegel is a three-time All-Conference honoree in addition to being named A-R-C Most Valuable Wrestler in the 2020-21 season.
  • This is the fourth time this season and eighth time overall the Spring Green native is picking up Wrestler of the Week honors (1/23/23, 15/5/22, 11/22/22, 11/14/22, 12/20/21, 12/6/21, 11/22/21, 11/25/19).
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