Nebraska Wesleyan's Thomas and Kohler Named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week

Performers of the Week Announced in Eight Sports

10/23/2023 12:41:07 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Nebraska Wesleyan volleyball player Addie Thomas (Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn) and men’s soccer player Alex Kohler (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, October 22, 2023. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s cross country, football, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, and volleyball.
Female Athlete of the Week – Volleyball – Offensive Player of the Week19611
Addie Thomas, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Jr., OH, Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn
  • Thomas helped lead the Prairie Wolves to a 3-0 week, including picking up two important conference wins.
  • Nebraska Wesleyan took down Grinnell (3-0) in non-conference action and in league action defeating Central (3-0) and Wartburg (3-0), to not lose a set the entire week.
  • Against Grinnell, Thomas recorded 11 kills and 10 digs.
  • In conference action, the junior recorded 28 kills and 17 digs.
  • Thomas posted a hitting percentage of .287 over the three matches.
  • In the win over the Knights on Saturday, she surpassed 1,000 career kills.
  • The Prairie Wolves improved their record to 17-6 overall and 6-0 in A-R-C action.
  • Nebraska Wesleyan will conclude conference play this weekend with their final two matches happening versus Dubuque on Friday and Loras on Saturday.
  • A win on Friday will clinch a share of the regular season title for NWU.
  • The junior was named to First-Team all-conference last season, after earning honorable mention honors in 2021.
  • The Elkhorn, Nebraska native is collecting her second-career Offensive Player of the Week accolade (10/10/23, 10/23/23).
Male Athlete of the Week – Men’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week19689
Alex Kohler, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., MF, Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East
  • Kohler recorded two game-winning goals on the week for the Prairie Wolves two conference wins against Buena Vista and Central.
  • Nebraska Wesleyan defeated Buena Vista 2-1 on Wednesday and Central 1-0 on Saturday.
  • Kohler’s game-winner versus Buena Vista came in the 87th minute.
  • The senior averaged 60 minutes played over the two matches.
  • Nebraska Wesleyan improved their record to 9-3-4 overall and finished the regular season 3-3-2 in the A-R-C.
  • They will finish their regular season on Tuesday night with a non-conference match against Bethel in Lincoln, Nebraska.
  • The Prairie Wolves, with a last week conference bye, now sit and wait to see results on Tuesday night to see if they will qualify for the A-R-C Men’s Soccer Tournament.
  • The Lincoln, Nebraska native is picking up his second-career Offensive Player of the Week honor (10/31/22, 10/23/23). 
Men’s Cross Country – Runner of the Week19668
Justin Reinhart, Luther College
Fr., Guthrie Center, Iowa/Adair-Casey Guthrie Center
  • Reinhart finished seventh out of 42 runners at the Luther vs. Wisconsin-La Crosse Dual with a time of 16:06.7.
  • The freshman finished 35 seconds behind the first-place finisher.
  • The Norse finished second with 49 points.
  • Luther and Reinhart will compete this Saturday at the A-R-C Cross Country Championship in Pella, Iowa as Central serves as the host.
  • The Guthrie Center, Iowa native is garnering his first-career Runner of the Week honor.
Women’s Cross Country – Runner of the Week19667
Morgan Hansen, Luther College
Sr., Hudson, Iowa/Hudson
  • Hansen finished sixth out of 28 runners with a time of 20:15.1 at the Luther vs. Wisconsin-La Crosse dual.
  • This time marks a new personal best for Hansen.
  • The senior finished 32 seconds behind first place.
  • The Norse finished in second with 46 points.
  • The next event for the Norse and Hansen will be on Saturday at the A-R-C Championship as Central College serves as the host in Pella, Iowa.
  • The Hudson, Iowa native is collecting her first-career Runner of the Week award.
Football – Offensive Player of the Week19666
Nile McLaughlin, Wartburg College
Fifth Year, QB, Eldridge, Iowa/North Scott
  • McLaughlin led the Knights to a conference win over Loras on Saturday (62-7).
  • The fifth year recorded 252 passing yards, while recording five touchdown passes, in the first half of the game.
  • He went 16-for-26 on passes, with his longest coming at 67 yards.
  • Each of McLaughlin’s touchdowns went to a different receiver.
  • The five touchdown passes tied the Wartburg school record.
  • This is eighth-straight game this season he has recorded over 200 passing yards.
  • The Knights move their record to 8-0 overall and 6-0 in the A-R-C as they prepare to host Central College on Saturday.
  • A Wartburg win Saturday would clinch at least a share of the A-R-C title and their berth back to the NCAA Playoffs.
  • McLaughlin was named First-Team Offense last season.
  • The Eldridge, Iowa native is earning his second-career Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Football – Defensive Player of the Week19690
Mason Little, Simpson College
Sr., DB, Montgomery, Texas/Montgomery
  • Little helped lead the Storm defensive to a dominating win over Luther on Saturday (56-14).
  • The senior recorded five tackles, which registered nine yards for loss.
  • He broke up four passes with a Simpson defense that only allowed for 53 passing yards.
  • Additionally, he added one sack for a loss of six yards.
  • Simpson improved to 3-4 overall and 2-3 in league play.
  • They remain at home this weekend where they will host Dubuque.
  • The Montgomery, Texas native is picking up his first Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Football – Special Teams Player of the Week19665
Conner Halla, University of Dubuque
Jr., P/K, Plainfield, Ill./Joilet West
  • Halla stepped up to help the Spartans to a Homecoming win over Buena Vista (41-0).
  • The junior recorded minutes after the Dubuque starting kicker was out to injury.
  • He went 2-for-2 with field goals, from 27-yards and 28-yards.
  • Additionally, he went a perfect 5-for-5 in extra points.
  • Only punted once but recorded his career longest punt of 67-yards.
  • The Spartans improved to 3-4 overall and 3-2 in league play.
  • Dubuque will travel to Indianola on Saturday to face off against Simpson, another program coming off a big A-R-C win.
  • The Plainfield, Illinois native is earning his first-career Special Teams Player of the Week honor.
Men’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week19688
Ben Krogman, Loras College
Sr., GK, Davenport, Iowa/Davenport Central
  • Krogman helped guide the Duhawks to a 2-0 week.
  • In two shutout wins, Loras picked up wins over Luther (1-0) and Coe (1-0).
  • The goalkeeper did not allow any goals and recorded three saves in each contest.
  • The senior played all 90 minutes in each contest for his first two complete games of the season.
  • The Duhawks are a win away from claiming the outright conference championship with their final game on Tuesday at Central College.
  • Loras improved their record to 10-3-4 overall and 5-2 in the A-R-C with the regular season concluding on Tuesday and tournament beginning on Saturday.
  • This is the Davenport, Iowa native’s first-career Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Women’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week19664
Emma Kober, University of Dubuque
Sr., F, Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha Catholic Memorial
  • Kober led the Dubuque Spartans offensive to a 1-1 week in conference action falling to Simpson (3-1) and dominating Buena Vista (7-0).
  • The senior scored the only goal for Spartans versus Simpson, while playing in all 90 minutes of the match.
  • Only needing to play 62 minutes against Buena Vista, Kober still made a statement with two goals and three assists to bring her point total of seven for the game.
  • She posted a total of nine points on the week.
  • The Spartans improved their record to 10-4-1 overall and 4-2-1 in league action.
  • Dubuque will conclude the regular season on Tuesday against Luther, where both teams are already in the A-R-C Tournament.
  • The Waukesha, Wisconsin native is garnering her first Offensive Player of the Week award in her career.
Women’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week19691
Kyndal Kells, Loras College
Sr., GK, Red Oak, Iowa/Red Oak
  • Kells led the Duhawks to a 2-0 week with two shutouts over conference opponents.
  • Loras defeated Luther College (2-0) and Coe College (4-0) to clinch at least a share of the conference title and earn the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament.
  • Kells tallied three saves, two in the victory over Coe and one against Luther.
  • The senior for the Duhawks broke the program’s career record for shutouts as she now stands at 30.
  • In this season so far, Kells has recorded 13 shutouts.
  • The Loras Duhawks improved to 14-1 overall and 7-0 in league play. They are back on the pitch Tuesday as they travel to Central College to close out conference play.
  • Kells is a 2022 All-Conference performer.
  • The Red Oak native is garnering her second Defensive Player of the Week honor in her career (10/23/23, 10/17/22).
Women’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week19662
Mia Prater, Luther College
Fr., Superior, Colo./Monarch
  • Prater helped lift the Norse to two victories on Saturday at a double dual versus Simpson and Nebraska Wesleyan.
  • Luther took down Simpson (188-43) and Nebraska Wesleyan (173-64).
  • The freshman competed in three events and won each of them.
  • In the 200-yard medley relay, Luther took gold after a time of 1:52.91.
  • In the 50-yard freestyle, she recorded a time of 24.21, and in the 100-yard freestyle, she posted a time of 53.34.
  • Prater and the Norse will be back in action on Saturday at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, Minnesota.
  • This is the Superior, Colorado native’s first-time earning Performer of the Week honors.
Men’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week19687
Cael Dice, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East
  • Dice and the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves competed against Simpson and Luther in a double dual on Saturday.
  • Nebraska Wesleyan picked up two team wins beating Simpson 171.00-16.00 and Luther 125.00-98.00.
  • Dice competed in two relay events where they took first both in the 200-yard medley relay (1:37.72) and the 200-yard freestyle relay (1:29.96).
  • He competed in the 100-yard butterfly for his individual event, where he picked up another win (51.50).
  • Nebraska Wesleyan won every event on the day except the 100-yard freestyle.
  • Dice and the Prairie Wolves will be back in the pool this Friday and Saturday when they travel to Minnesota Morris.
  • The senior for the Prairie Wolves is earning his first-career Performer of the Week honor.
Volleyball – Defensive Player of the Week19686
Molly Ramirez, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Fr., OH, Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley
  • Ramirez helped the Nebraska Wesleyan Prairie Wolves to a 3-0 week, including two conference wins to stay undefeated in league play.
  • NWU defeated Grinnell College (3-0), Central College (3-0), and Wartburg College (3-0).
  • Ramirez helped hold opponents to a combined .079 hitting percentage over the three contests.
  • The freshman totaled 23 kills while hitting .266, 18 digs, 6 service aces, and 4 blocks.
  • Ramirez earned her first collegiate double-double in the win over Grinnell as she recorded 10 kills and 11 digs.
  • The Prairie Wolves extended their streak to 21 straight victorious sets.
  • Nebraska Wesleyan improved to 17-6 overall and 6-0 in league play.
  • Ramirez and NWU will be in action this weekend for their final two conference contests.
  • The Bettendorf, Iowa native is earning her first-career Defensive Player of the Week accolade.
 
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