CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that University of Dubuque women’s golfer Leah Balsbaugh (Sussex, Wis./Hamilton) and football player K.C. Moore (Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, October 8, 2023. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in football, men’s and women’s soccer, women’s tennis, and volleyball. Female Athlete of the Week – Women’s Golf – Golfer of the Week
Leah Balsbaugh, University of Dubuque
So., Sussex, Wis./Hamilton

• Balsbaugh took home medalist honors at the 2023 A-R-C Women’s Golf Championship at Ames Golf & Country Club in Ames, Iowa this weekend.
• The sophomore shot rounds of 81-77-74-232 (+19), one shot clear of second place.
• The Spartans took home the team title for the fourth time in the last five championships with a team score of 936 (+84).
• Dubuque has qualified for the 2024 NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championship to be played at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky on May 21-24, 2024. 
• Balsbaugh is picking up her first-career Golfer of the Week accolade.

Male Athlete of the Week – Football – Offensive Player of the Week
K.C. Moore, University of Dubuque
Sr. QB, Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley

• Moore led the Spartans to a 56-28 win over Nebraska Wesleyan.
• The senior completed 28-35 pass attempts (80% completion).
• He completed the game with no interceptions and four touchdowns for 306 total yards.
• Moore rushed three times for 20 yards.
• The Spartans move to 2-3 overall and 2-1 in A-R-C action as they get set to travel to Waverly to take on No. 3/3 Wartburg on Saturday.
• The Las Vegas native is earning his second-career Offensive Player of the Week honor.

Football – Defensive Player of the Week
Sam Kissner, Wartburg College
Sr., DB, Milan, Ill./Sherrard

• Kissner dominated in No. 3/3 Knights win over Luther on Saturday (54-0).
• The senior defensive back accounted for four tackles, two tackles for loss, and one sack. One of his tackles for loss was a safety.
• Additionally, he snagged an interception.
• The tough Wartburg defense held Luther to only 88 total yards on 53 offensive plays.
• Wartburg improves to 6-0 overall and 4-0 in league action as they prepare to host Dubuque on Saturday.
• The Milan, Illinois native is picking up his first Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Football – Special Teams Player of the Week
Logan Sunvold, Central College
Sr., K, Monroe, Iowa/Southeast Polk

• Sunvold was responsible for eight points in the 38-14 Dutch win on Saturday over Loras.
• The senior went a perfect 5-for-5 on PATs.
• He recorded a 38-yard field goal to finalize his additions for the day.
• On seven kickoffs, he recorded 405 yards.
• The Dutch move their record to 5-1 overall and 3-1 in the A-R-C.
• Central will host Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday.
• Sunvold is a two-time first-team All-Conference performer.
• The senior is earning his seventh-career Special Teams Player of the Week honor (9/27/21, 10/25/21, 11/8/21, 10/24/22, 11/7/22, 9/25/23, 10/10/23).

Men’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Ronaldo Ordaz, Simpson College
Sr., F, Marshalltown, Iowa/Marshalltown

• Ordaz led the Simpson offense to go 1-1 on the week.
• Simpson competed in two conference contests, picking up a win over Buena Vista (4-2) and dropped to league leading Luther (2-1).
• The senior tallied two goals and three assists over the two games.
• In just the Buena Vista game, he recorded five points (1 goal and three assists).
• Late in the Luther game, Ordaz scored in a penalty kick to narrow the gap to 2-1.
• Ordaz leads the A-R-C for goals this season currently.
• The Storm move to 5-7 overall and 2-1 in conference play.
• Ordaz and the Storm will be back on the pitch tonight (Tuesday) when they host Nebraska Wesleyan.
• This is the Marshalltown, Iowa native’s third-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (10/24/22, 9/18/23, 10/10/23).

Men’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Jack Bell, Luther College
Jr., GK, Madison, Wis./Madison Memorial

• Bell helped the Luther Norse to a 2-0-1 week.
• Luther picked up wins over non-conference Augsburg (1-0), conference opponent Simpson (2-1), while ending in a draw with Wartburg (0-0).
• The goalkeeper played every minute of the three-game stretch, only allowing one goal on 23 shots faced.
• He, additionally, recorded four saves.
• Luther improves their record to 5-3-4 overall and 3-0-1 in the A-R-C as they currently sit atop the standings in the league.
• Luther will host Central tonight (Tuesday) for a conference battle in Decorah.
• This is the Madison, Wisconsin native’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Women’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week
Cassie Nash, Simpson College
Sr., F, Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southeast

• Nash and the RV Simpson Storm went 2-0 on the week with a 3-2 win over Luther and 4-0 win over Buena Vista.
• The senior forward was involved in all three goals against Luther, scoring the game’s opening goal before providing an assist on the game-tying and game-winning goals. The game-winning goals came with just 30 seconds left in the contest.
• Additionally, Nash netted two goals and had one assist at Buena Vista in the win.
• She currently sits ranked second in the league for points (30) and assists (8).
• Simpson moves to 10-1-1 overall and 3-0 in conference play.
• They will be back on the pitch tonight (Tuesday) against Nebraska Wesleyan.
• The Storm senior is a three-time All-Conference Performer and was the 2022 A-R-C Offensive Player of the Year.
• The Lincoln, Nebraska native is garnering her seventh-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (9/27/21, 9/12/22, 10/17/22, 10/24/22, 10/31/22, 9/5/23, 10/10/23).

Women’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week
Annabella Dietrich, Wartburg College
Sr., D., Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar

• Dietrich helped lead the Wartburg Knights to a 2-0 week with wins over Nebraska Wesleyan (3-2) and Luther (2-1).
• The senior scored the game winning goal over Luther, in the 80^th minute of the contest.
• The defender played all 90 minutes in both matches during the course of the week.
• The Knights now move to 5-6-1 overall and 3-1 in league play.
• Wartburg hosts Loras this evening (Tuesday) in an important A-R-C matchup.
• The Marion, Iowa native is earning her first-career Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Women’s Tennis – Player of the Week
Maddie Schultz, Coe College
Jr., Jasper, Ga./James Madison

• Schultz had an impressive week as the Kohawks went 3-0 on the week with wins over Loras (5-4), Simpson (7-2), and Central (7-2).
• The two-time A-R-C MVP went 5-1 during the week, going 3-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles.
• At No. 1 doubles with Alliandra Hagness, they got edged by Mary Breitbach and Dorothy Deans of Loras.
• The junior took down Breitbach at No. 1 singles 6-3, 6-4.
• Schultz paired up with Chloe Palmer at No. 1 doubles against Simpson, where the pair won 8-4.
• Going up against Simpson’s Bella Tranquilino at No. 1 singles, the Kohawk picked up another win 6-0, 6-1.
• Teaming up with Palmer again at No. 1 doubles versus Central, the duo picked up a point with the 8-5 victory.  
• In her final No. 1 singles match on the week, she picked up the 6-0, 6-0 win over Jennifer Larson of Central.
• The Kohawks finished their regular season A-R-C slate with an 7-1 record and have qualified for the AQ Tournament in the spring, with final seeds to be determined shortly. 
• The Jasper, Georgia native is collecting her fourth-career Player of the Week honor (9/20/21, 9/6/22, 10/11/22, 10/10/23).

Volleyball – Offensive Player of the Week
Addie Thomas, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Jr., OH, Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn

• Thomas helped lead the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves to a 2-0 week in conference play, earning wins over Coe College (3-0) and Luther College (3-0).
• The junior outside hitter picked up two double-doubles on the week to bring her total to 8 on the season.
• In the victory over Coe, Thomas recorded 17 kills with a hitting percentage of .275, while adding 11 digs.
• On Saturday against Luther, Thomas had a hitting percentage of .326 while recording 21 kills and 12 digs.
• The Prairie Wolves have swept eight of their last nine opponents and remain undefeated in conference play with a 3-0 record.
• Overall, NWU has a 13-6 record as they head into another conference game against Buena Vista University this evening.
• Thomas earned All-Conference honors last season after being named Honorable Mention in 2021.
• This is the first time the Elkhorn, Nebraska native is earning Offensive Player of the Week accolades.

Volleyball – Defensive Player of the Week
Emma Powell, University of Dubuque
Sr., OH, Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott

• Powell helped the University of Dubuque Spartans to a 2-1 week that included two conference victories over Central College (3-0) and Simpson College (3-1).
• The Spartans lone loss was against Edgewood College (3-0) last Tuesday.
• The senior outside hitter recorded 26 kills and 41 digs throughout the three contests.
• Powell averaged five digs per set against Central and Edgewood.
• The Dubuque Spartans improved to 15-5 overall, including a 3-0 conference mark, heading into a busy week.
• They will host Coe College on Wednesday night for another conference contest before heading to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Invitational on Saturday where the Spartans will play two ranked opponents.
• Powell is a two-time All-Conference performer, in addition to picking up Honorable Mention accolades in the 2020 (Spring 2021) season.
• The Eldridge native is collecting her first Defensive Player of the Week accolade in her career. Additionally, Powell has earned A-R-C Offensive Player of the Week twice in her career (9/5/23, 10/25/21).