CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Nebraska Wesleyan track & field athlete Isabella Hogue (Murray, Neb./Conestoga and Simpson College track & field athlete Spencer Moon (Lake City, Iowa/South Central Calhoun) have been named American Rivers Athletes of the Week for the week ending Sunday, February 11, 2024. The Conference also announced Performers of the Week in men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming & diving, men’s tennis, men’s and women’s indoor track & field, and wrestling. Female Athlete of the Week – Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week
Isabella Hogue, Nebraska Wesleyan University
Sr., Murray, Neb./Conestoga

• Hogue competed at the SDSU Classic over the weekend.
• Finishing first out of 43 competitors in the 200-meter, she finished with a time of 24.58 to sit third nationally in Division III.
• With a time of 7.59 in the 60-meter, the senior finished third out of 28 competitors, only falling to a Division I and Division II student-athlete.
• This time in the 60m ranks tied-fourth currently nationally.
• Next up for the Prairie Wolves is the Nebraska Tune Up and Loper Tune Up on Friday before the conference championship.
• The Murray, Nebraska native is picking up her second career Indoor Track Performer of the Week honor (1/31/22, 2/11/24). Additionally, she has earned Outdoor Track Performer of the Week two times in her career (4/19/22, 5/9/22).

Male Athlete of the Week – Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Track Performer of the Week
Spencer Moon, Simpson College
Sr., Lake City, Iowa/South Central Calhoun

• Moon competed at the David Hemery Valentine Invitational hosted by Boston University.
• The senior reset the record books again for both Simpson and the A-R-C in the 5,000-meter race.
• He became the first student-athlete in conference history to run under 14 minutes in the event and just the seventh athlete in Division III history to achieve this mark.
• He recorded a time of 13:59.20 to finish 75^th out of 125 competitors while competing against former Division I national champions and World Championship participants.
• Moon ranks second in Division III with his time.
• The Storm are lined up for two meets next weekend: the Eagle Open hosted by Wisconsin-La Crosse and the Liz Wuertz Invite hosted by Wartburg.
• This mark’s the Lake City native’s second Indoor Track Performer of the Week honor (1/22/24, 2/12/24). Additionally, Moon has been named Outdoor Track Performer of the Week twice in his career (4/24/23, 5/15/23) and Cross Country Runner of the Week three times (9/6/21, 9/5/23, 9/11/23).

Men’s Basketball – Player of the Week
Ali Sabet, Loras College
Fifth Yr., G, Glenview, Ill./Maine East

• Sabet helped guide the Duhawks to a 2-1 mark in a busy week.
• On Monday in a makeup game from earlier in the season, the Duhawks picked up a 95-77 win over Simpson.
• The fifth year put up 25 points going 9-for-19 from the floor.
• He dished out five assists and grabbed three boards in the win.
• Game number two on the week saw the Beavers of Buena Vista come to Loras where the Duhawks won 99-77 behind an impressive performance from Sabet.
• Sabet recorded 41 points shooting 67% from the field and 83% from the line.
• He additionally had five assists, three steals, and two rebounds.
• 41 points sits as the sixth most in a single game in Loras program history.
• Simpson found revenge from earlier in the week handing Loras a 79-70 loss.
• Sabet still made noise with 33 points in the game.
• He averaged 33 points per game, 3.6 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game on the week.
• Sabet currently sits second in the nation in free throw percentage (93.2%), fourth in total threes made (77), and seventh in three pointers per game (3.35).
• (RV) Loras is now 19-4 overall and 10-4 in the A-R-C as the regular season winds down and it remains a tight race to the finish.
• Sabet is a two-time First-Team All-Conference performer.
• This is the Glenview, Illinois native’s first Player of the Week accolade of his career.

Women’s Basketball – Player of the Week
Caydee Kirkham, Coe College
So., G, Carthage, Ill./Illini West

• Kirkham led the Kohawks to a perfect 2-0 week in conference play.
• Coe began the week picking up a 72-56 win over Luther.
• The sophomore recorded 22 points while shooting 58% from the field and 75% from the line.
• Additionally, she had four assists, two rebounds, and one steal.
• The Kohawks second win of the week came against Nebraska Wesleyan, 70-53.
• Kirkham went 8-for-10 from the field for 21 points.
• She added six rebounds, five assists, and two steals in the win on the road.
• She averaged 21.5 points, 4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting over 68% from the floor and 80% from beyond the arc on the week.
• The Kohawks are now 19-4 overall and 10-4 in league play entering the final week of the regular season.
• Coe will travel to Dubuque on Wednesday night and host the Wartburg Knights on Saturday in the regular season finale.
• This is the fourth time Kirkham has earned Player of the Week accolades in her career (1/9/23, 11/13/23, 12/18/23, 2/11/24).

Men’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week
Jay Ceperley, Simpson College
Jr., Hastings, Neb./Hastings

• Ceperley made a difference in the tight Storm’s tight 63-60 win over Coe on Saturday.
• The junior won the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 23.23.
• Additionally, he swam his season best of 56.76 in the 100 yard butterfly to hit the wall first again.
• He wrapped up his Saturday anchoring the 200 yard medley relay team who picked up a win with a time of 1:57.66.
• The Storm will be back in the pool on February 22-24 in Decorah, Iowa as Luther serves as the host for the 2024 A-R-C Championship.
• This is the Hastings, Nebraska native’s third time earning Performer of the Week honors (2/6/23, 12/4/23, 2/12/24).

Women’s Swim & Dive – Performer of the Week
Margaret Rhodes, Coe College
So., Decorah, Iowa/Decorah

• Rhodes had an impressive in the Kohawks final preparation before the conference championship over the weekend.
• The Kohawks defeated Simpson 149-55 in the dual.
• Rhodes picked up her first win in the 1000 freestyle with a time of 11:32.39.
• The sophomore grabbed another first place finish in the 100 butterfly, recording a time of 1:00.18.
• Finally, she swam the anchor leg of the 200 freestyle relay, helping guide Coe to a 1:46.55 finish and the top spot in the race.
• Rhodes earned Swimmer of the Year in 2023 for her performance at the A-R-C Championship.
• The Decorah, Iowa native is collecting her second career Performer of the Week accolade (11/6/23, 2/11/24).

Men’s Tennis – Player of the Week
Gennaro Dimuro, Luther College
Fr., Buenos Aires, Argentina

• Dimuro competed in the two match home stand for the Norse on Saturday, February 10.
• Luther kicked off conference action against Simpson College where they picked up a 9-0 victory.
• The freshman teamed up with Ramon Wenker to defeat Simpson’s Grant Love and Javier Robles Solis, 8-1, in No. 1 doubles.
• Playing at No. 1 singles, Dimuro picked up a 6-4, 7-5 win over Simpson’s Robles Solis.
• In non-conference play, the Norse took down Monmouth College 9-0.
• At No. 1 doubles, he was paired with Wenker again as they picked up another win 8-1 over Monmouth’s Sawyer Day and Spencer Corn.
• Dimuro defeated Monmouth’s Day at No. 1 singles, 6-1, 6-2.
• Dimuro recorded a perfect 4-0 record.
• Luther is 4-2 on the season and 1-0 in conference play.
• The Norse are back in action this weekend taking on Loras in conference play and Wisconsin-Superior, Macalaster, and Grand View in non-conference action.
• The Buenos Aires, Argentina native is collecting his first career Men’s Tennis Player of the Week honor.

Men’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week
Jaidyn Williams, University of Dubuque
Sr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Linn-Mar

• Williams and the Spartans competed at the Wisconsin-Platteville Invitational over the weekend.
• Dubuque won the event with 185 team points.
• The senior finished first out of 16 competitors in long jump with a mark of 7.09 meters.
• In the triple jump, Williams recorded a mark of 14.39 meters to finish on top again out of eight competitors.
• His triple jump mark currently ranks 12^th in Division III so far this season.
• Williams’ final event was the 60 meter where he posted a time of 7.02 to finish fifth in his prelim race.
• Williams and Dubuque are in action Friday when they host the Sol Butler Classic.
• Williams was named the 2023 Men’s Co-Most Valuable Field Performer at the A-R-C Indoor Championship.
• This is the third time the Cedar Rapids, Iowa native is earning Indoor Field Performer of the Week accolades (2/27/23, 1/22/24, 2/22/24). Additionally, Williams earned Outdoor Field Performer of the Week once last season (4/10/23).

Women’s Indoor Track & Field – Field Performer of the Week
Kaitlyn Wilder, University of Dubuque
Grad., Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton

• Wilder competed at the Wisconsin-Platteville Invitational with the Spartans over the weekend.
• Dubuque finished second out of five teams with 137.50 team points.
• Winning by 2.37 meters, Wilder had a mark of 17.71 in weight throw.
• This mark currently ranks ninth in Division III.
• Finishing first out of 25 competitors, the graduate student threw a mark of 13.87 in the shot put.
• Her shot put mark is currently seventh in the country.
• Wilder and the Spartans are in action one more time before the indoor conference championships as they get set to host the Sol Butler Classic on Friday.
• The Dunkerton, Iowa native is picking up her fifth career Indoor Field Performer of the Week honor (2/22/21, 2/7/22, 1/23/23, 1/22/24, 2/11/24). Additionally, Wilder has earned Outdoor Field Performer of the Week accolades three times in her career (4/4/22, 4/11/22, 4/19/22).

Wrestling - Wrestler of the Week
Kyler Romero, Wartburg College
Jr., 141lbs., Toppenish, Wash./Toppenish

• Romero and the No. 2-ranked Knights won their 41^st Conference title on Friday after completing an undefeated A-R-C dual season.
• The Knights defeated No. 17-ranked Loras College 38-3.
• Romero, ranked No. 7 in his weight class, defeated No. 14 Jalen Schropp by 6-4 decision.
• The junior avenged his lone loss of the season which came to Schropp at the CUW Open.
• Romero moved his winning streak to 12.
• The No. 2-ranked Wartburg Knights will have a couple of weeks rest before competing at the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest Regional at the Alliant Energy Powerhouse in Cedar Rapids.
• The Toppenish, Washinton native is collecting his second Wrestler of the Week honors (2/12/24, 1/8/24).