Central's Rexroat and Luther's Westholder Named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week

Performers of the Week Announced in Nine Sports

9/25/2023 1:20:47 PM

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Central College volleyball player Avery Rexroat (Macomb, Ill./Macomb) and Luther College men’s tennis player Luke Westholder (Edina, Minn./Edina) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, September 24, 2023. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s cross country, football, women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, and volleyball.
Female Athlete of the Week – Volleyball – Offensive Player of the Week19531
Avery Rexroat, Central College
So., S, Macomb, Ill./Macomb
  • Rexroat helped lead the Central Dutch to a 2-1 week that included a pair of five-set victories in Minnesota.
  • The Dutch lost to Grinnell (3-1) before picking up wins over Concordia Moorhead (3-2) and Saint Mary’s (3-2).
  • Rexroat had double-doubles in both of Saturday’s five-set victories.
  • She tallied 121 assists over the three matches while also adding 18 kills as a setter.
  • The Central Dutch are now 12-2 overall as they head into their first conference match this weekend.
  • First up on the week, Central will travel to Knox College for a non-conference match-up before taking on Luther College in Decorah, Iowa on Saturday.
  • The Macomb, Illinois native is picking up her first-career Offensive Player of the Week accolade.
Male Athlete of the Week – Men’s Tennis – Player of the Week19526
Luke Westholder, Luther College
Jr., Edina, Minn./Edina
  • Westholder takes home Men’s Tennis Player of the Week and Male Athlete of the Week honors after winning his second-straight American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Men’s Tennis Individual A-Flight Singles.
  • The junior went a perfect 4-0 in this year’s A-flight.
  • The Edina, Minnesota native defeated teammate Louk Rijsdijk (4-1, 5-4(7)) to clinch the gold medal.
  • Additionally, Westholder partnered with Max Loen in the A-Double flight where they were crowned champions.
  • Westholder is a two-time All-Conference performer in singles and doubles as well as earning the 2023 Most Valuable Player.
  • He is picking up his fourth-career Men’s Tennis Player of the Week honor (9/26/22, 2/20/23, 3/27/23, 9/25/23).
Men’s Cross Country – Runner of the Week19535
Joey Wohlers, University of Dubuque
Sr., BeeBeeTown, Iowa/Tri-Center
  • Wohlers finished 7th out of 160 runners with a time of 25:13.0 (8k) at the Wisconsin-Platteville Pioneer Gender Equity Invitational.
  • The senior finished 59 seconds behind first place.
  • He guided the Spartans to a fourth-place team out of ten teams.
  • Dubuque and Wohlers will be back in action on September 29 when they travel to Wisconsin to compete at the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Blugold Invitational.
  • The BeeBeeTown, Iowa native is garnering his first-career Runner of the Week honor and first for Dubuque since 2018.
Women’s Cross Country – Runner of the Week19406
Caroline McMartin, Central College
Sr., Pella, Iowa/Pella
  • McMartin finished 13th out of 391 total runners with a time of 22:50 at the Roy Griak Invitational hosted by the University of Minnesota.
  • The senior was the top Division III finisher in an invitational full of Division II and NAIA teams.
  • She finished 1:05.8 behind first place.
  • The No. 23-ranked Dutch finished 8th out of 37 teams.
  • McMartin and Central will compete this weekend in Waverly, Iowa at the Dan Huston Invitational hosted by Wartburg College.
  • The senior is a three-time All-Conference runner.
  • The Pella, Iowa native is collecting her sixth-career Runner of the Week award, including her third this season (9/25/23, 9/11/23, 9/5/23, 9/26/22, 9/12/22, 9/27/21). Additionally, she has earned Outdoor Track Performer of the Week honors once in her career (4/10/23).
Football – Offensive Player of the Week19534
K.C. Moore, University of Dubuque
Sr., QB, Las Vegas, Nev./Spring Valley
  • Moore led the Dubuque Spartans to a 35-23 win over Loras College to start conference play with a 1-0 record.
  • This was the Spartans 12th consecutive victory in the Key City Clash.
  • Moore completed 24 of 39 passes with no interceptions to bring his completion rate to 61.5%.
  • The senior quarterback threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns of 73 yards, 36 yards, and 57 yards.
  • Moore completed passes to six different receivers.
  • The Spartans head into a match-up with Central College with a 1-2 overall record.
  • The Las Vegas native is earning his first-career Offensive Player of the Week honor.
Football – Defensive Player of the Week19529
Jordan Downing, Wartburg College
Fifth Year, DE, Waverly, Iowa/Waverly-Shell Rock
  • Downing led the No. 3/4 Wartburg College Knights to the win over Simpson College to move to 2-0 in conference play.
  • The Knights defense, led by Downing, held Simpson to -20 rushing yards on 23 rushing attempts and no points allowed in the 63-0 win.  
  • He recorded four total tackles, three of which were for loss, and two sacks.
  • Additionally, he was responsible for one pass breakup and one blocked field goal.
  • The Knights sit at 4-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play as they get set to host Coe this Saturday.
  • Downing is a two-time All-Conference performer, earning second team honors in 2021 and first team honors a season ago.
  • The Waverly, Iowa native is picking up his first Defensive Player of the Week honor.
Football – Special Teams Player of the Week19530
Logan Sunvold, Central College
Sr., K, Monroe, Iowa/Southeast Polk
  • Sunvold was responsible for 11 points in the Dutch win over Luther College on Saturday.
  • The senior kicker recorded five PAT’s and two field goals coming from 29 and 38 yards.
  • Additionally, Sunvold averaged 57.6 yards per kickoff.
  • Central picked up the 41-16 win moving their record to 3-1 overall and 1-1 in league action.
  • The Dutch will host Dubuque on Saturday at Schipper Stadium.
  • Sunvold is a two-time first-team All-Conference performer.
  • The senior is earning his sixth-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).
Women’s Golf – Golfer of the Week19490
Megan Tanghe, Coe College
Sr., East Moline, Ill./Alleman
  • Tanghe repeats as Golfer of the Week after picking up her second medalist honor of the season.
  • The senior claimed the top sport in a triangular against Mount Mercy and Loras.
  • She posted rounds of 78 at Hunters Ridge and 77 at Ellis Park to top the field by four strokes.
  • She led the Kohawks to the team victory after recording team rounds of 339-328-667.
  • The Kohawks will compete one more time leading up to the league’s conference championship when they travel to Waverly to face Wartburg in a dual at Prairie Links.
  • This marks the East Moline, Illinois native’s fourth-career Golfer of the Week honor (9/13/21, 9/20/21, 9/18/23, 9/25/23).
Men’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week19533
Reed Miklavcic, Loras College
Sr., F, Frankfort, Ky./Frankfort
  • The senior forward led the Loras Duhawks to a 2-0-1 week.
  • The Duhawks started the week with a 3-3 draw against UW-Whitewater before defeated Buena Vista University (6-0) and Dominican University (2-0).
  • Miklavcic recorded four assists and three goals through the three contests.
  • He currently leads the A-R-C with six assists this season and is third in goals with six.
  • Loras improved to 6-1-3 this season and started the conference campaign 1-0.
  • They are back in action on Saturday as they travel to Lincoln, Nebraska for a conference match-up with Nebraska Wesleyan University.
  • The Frankfort, Kentucky native is garnering his third-career Defensive Player of the Week honor (9/25/23, 11/8/21, 4/12/21).
Men’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week19408
Curtis Ratzer, Wartburg College
Sr., D, Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Kennedy
  • The Knights’ captain helped lead Wartburg to a 1-0-1 week that included two more shutouts.
  • Wartburg forced a 0-0 draw against regionally ranked UW-Platteville and then shutout University of Dubuque (3-0) in the A-R-C opener
  • Ratzer scored the game-winning goal against Dubuque with a penalty kick.
  • The senior leads a defense that has shutout its last four opponents and has allowed just one goal over its past seven matches.
  • The Wartburg Knights are back at the pitch this evening when they travel to take on UW-Whitewater.
  • Ratzer was a 2022 Honorable Mention performer.
  • The Cedar Rapids native is picking up his third-career Defensive Player of the Week honors (9/25/23, 9/5/23, 9/19/22).
Women’s Soccer – Offensive Player of the Week19528
Jordyn Foelske, Simpson College
Jr., F, Denver, Iowa/Denver
  • Foelske and the RV Simpson Storm went 2-0 on the week with a 2-0 win over Westminster (Mo.) (2-0) and Central College (3-0).
  • The junior forward scored a goal in each of the wins and added an assist for five total points on the week.
  • Both of Foelske’s goals were game winners, while the assist came just over a minute after she scored the first goal against Central.
  • RV Simpson College improved to 7-1 overall and started conference play with a 1-0 record.
  • The Storm is back in action on Wednesday as they travel to Eau Claire, Wisconsin for a non-conference matchup with the Blugolds.
  • The Denver native is garnering her first Offensive Player of the Week award in her career.
Women’s Soccer – Defensive Player of the Week19525
Libby Perry, Loras College
Sr., D, Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert Catholic
  • Perry helped the Loras Duhawks go 2-0 on the week with wins over No. 23 St. Catherine University (2-0) and Buena Vista University (6-0).
  • The senior defender was a key member of the Loras defense that has only given up two goals in eight games and shutout seven opponents.
  • Additionally, Perry netted a goal in the 2-0 Duhawk win over No. 23-ranked St. Catherine.
  • The Loras Duhawks improved to 7-1 overall and 1-0 in league play.
  • They are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Oshkosh to take on University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
  • Perry is a 2022 All-Conference performer.
  • The Dubuque native is earning her second-career Defensive Player of the Week honors (9/25/23, 11/8/21).
Women’s Tennis – Player of the Week19527
Liselot van Den Broek, Luther College
Fr., Utrecht, Netherlands/Veenlanden College
  • Van Den Broek and the Luther Norse competed at the ITA Regionals/Midwest Invite in Whitewater, Wisconsin this past weekend.
  • The first year went 8-0 overall, winning the Midwest D-Singles Draw going 4-0, and winning the Midwest B-Doubles Draw going 4-0 with partner Rafaela Tavares.
  • Van Den Broek defeated Cassie Henderson of Edgewood (6-1, 6-1), Mary Shogren (6-4, 6-2), Mia Andrae of Concordia Wisconsin (6-4, 6-2), and Avrie Morris of UW-La Crosse (6-4, 6-3).
  • On the doubles side, the Norse duo defeated Chloe Leithold/Brooklynn Stier of UW-Stevens Point (8-3), Christina Ekkela/Cassie Henderson of Edgewood (8-2), Sofia Buhr/Mya Werning of Concordia Wisconsin (8-4), and Zoe Klicker/Avrie Morris of UW-La Crosse (8-5).
  • Luther, 5-0 overall, is back in action this weekend when they travel to Buena Vista University and Nebraska Wesleyan University for two conference contests.
  • This is the Netherlands native’s first-career Player of the Week accolades.
Volleyball – Defensive Player of the Week19532
Elyse Johnson, Central College
Sr., MH, Kirksville, Mo./Kirksville
  • Johnson led the Central Dutch to a 2-1 week that included a pair of five-set victories in Minnesota.
  • The Dutch lost to Grinnell (3-1) before picking up wins over Concordia Moorhead (3-2) and Saint Mary’s (3-2).
  • Johnson led the team in service aces and blocks, averaging almost a block per set through three games.
  • She picked up nine service aces.
  • The Central Dutch are now 12-2 overall as they head into their first conference match this weekend.
  • First up on the week, Central will travel to Knox College for a non-conference match-up before taking on Luther College in Decorah, Iowa on Saturday.
  • The senior middle hitter is earning her first Defensive Player of the Week honors.
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