Athletes of the Week & Weekly Report Announced by A-R-C - November 10, 2025

11/10/2025 3:55:00 PM

By: Ali Wilson, A-R-C Assistant Commissioner

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College women’s soccer student-athlete Mary Clare Bean and Luther College men’s soccer student-athlete Elliot Lindberg have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending November 9, 2025. The A-R-C weekly awards are nominated and voted on by the league’s sports information departments. The conference office then selects the female and male athletes of the week based upon sport performers of the week. 
Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Soccer - Defensive Performer of the Week - Mary Clare Bean (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier), Loras College
  • Bean was a key piece of the Loras back line that shutout both Simpson and the University of Dubuque in the A-R-C tournament. 
  • She shut down the two highest goal scorers in the conference. 
  • Bean helped lead the Duhawks to their fifth consecutive tournament title and 18th in program history. 
Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Soccer - Defensive Performer of the Week - Elliot Lindberg (Danderyd, Sweden/Danderyds Gymnasium), Luther College
  • Lindberg helped the Norse to two clean sheets in the conference tournament. 
  • He scored the game-winning goal versus Wartburg in the championship match for the 11th time in program history. 
Men’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Ethan Yungtum (Elkhorn, Neb./Elkhorn), Wartburg College
  • Yungtum recorded back-to-back double-doubles to begin the season.
  • He led the Knights in scoring and rebounding through the two games. 
  • Yungtum recorded 22 rebounds and 33 points.
Women’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Bradi Krager (Peterson, Iowa/Sioux Central), Buena Vista University
  • Krager averaged 19.5 points per game over the opening two contests of the season. 
  • Her 27 points set a new career-high, surpassing her previous best of 25 last season. 
  • This marked her fifth career 20-point game. 
Football - Defensive Player of the Week - Tre Fisher (Farnhamville, Iowa/Southeast Valley), Buena Vista University
  • Fisher gave Buena Vista a 14-0 cushion heading into halftime in a conference contest versus Nebraska Wesleyan by registering a 60-yard pick-six in the snow. 
  • It was his second interception of the season and first career pick-six. 
  • He also added an additional pass breakup. 
Football - Offensive Player of the Week - Adriel Fussell (St. Louis, Mo./Riverview Gardens), Buena Vista University
  • Fussell led the Beavers ground game with 259 rushing yards on 32 carries. 
  • He had three touchdown runs on the day from two yards, five yards, and 72 yards. 
  • His 259 yards are the fifth-most in a single game in program history. 
Football - Special Teams Player of the Week - Ben DeMeulenaere (Chelsea, Iowa/Belle Plaine), Central College
  • DeMeulenaere jumped on a blocked punt in the second quarter for a touchdown. 
  • Additionally, he added five tackles. 
Men’s Soccer - Offensive Performer of the Week - Francesco Mungari (Rome, Italy/Christchurch), Luther College
  • Mungari scored the overtime goal to send the Norse to the championship match. 
  • He helped guide the Norse to their 11th tournament title in program history.
Women’s Soccer - Offensive Performer of the Week - Ivy Wessel (Rosemount, Minn./Rosemount)
  • Wessel scored both game-winning goals on the week in the A-R-C tournament. 
  • She helped lead the Duhawks to their fifth consecutive tournament title and 18th in program history. 
Men’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Zachary Cantorna (Colorado Springs, Colo./Lewis Palmer), Nebraska Wesleyan University
  • Cantorna claimed first place in the 1650 freestyle at the UNK Invitational with a time of 16:56.63, setting a new meet record. 
  • He additionally took home two bronze medals individually with season bests in teh 500 free (4:52.14) and 100 back (52.69). 
Women’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Lydi O’Neil (Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada/Willow Creek Composite), Nebraska Wesleyan University
  • O’Neil won two individual events and set meet records in both at the UNK Invitational. 
  • Her wins were in the 50 free (24.34) and 100 free (53.41). 
Women’s Volleyball - Defensive Performer of the Week - Taylor Bechen (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial), University of Dubuque
  • Bechen guided the Spartans to an unblemished 8-0 conference record. 
  • She notched 33 digs, her highest total during a three-set match of her career. 
Women’s Volleyball - Offensive Performer of the Week - Autumn Finch (Marshalltown, Iowa/Marshalltown), Loras College
  • Finch put down 33 kills and hit .356 across three matches last week. 
  • She added five service aces, 14 digs, and 12 blocks to her stat line. 
  • She averaged 4.22 points per set.
Men’s Wrestling - Performer of the Week - Bryce McDonough (Nora Springs, Iowa/Central Springs), Luther College
  • McDonough went unbeaten at the Muskie Scramble with a 4-0 record. 
  • He recorded four tech falls on the day with wins over student-athletes from Lakeland, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and Carthage). 
Women’s Wrestling - Performer of the Week - Afftynn Stusse (Battle Creek, Neb./Battle Creek), Wartburg College
  • Stusse played a key role in helping Wartburg earn a dual victory over Simpson in a top-25 matchup. 
  • Competing at the 110-pound weight class, she delivered a win by pinning Sarah Zimmerman. 
Weekly Report
Crossover season is here! 
 
The Wartburg College Knights football program has claimed at least a share of the regular season title. It is Wartburg’s fourth consecutive title. The Knights have a chance to claim the title outright on Saturday in the regular season finale versus Buena Vista.
 
Luther College men’s soccer and Loras College women’s soccer clinched tournament titles over the weekend to punch their tickets to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The University of Dubuque women’s volleyball claimed the regular season title last week and earned the No. 1 seed in the tournament beginning Tuesday, November 11. 
 
Championship Central: The women’s volleyball tournament will begin on Tuesday, November 11, with semifinal action on Thursday, November 13, and the championship match on Saturday, November 15. All matches will begin at 7:00 p.m. throughout the tournament. The full 2025-26 championship calendar can be found here: https://tr.ee/xwew1v
 
Fall Sport Standings: Football | Men’s Soccer | Women’s Soccer | Women’s Volleyball | Women’s Tennis
 
Winter Sport Standings: Men’s Basketball | Women’s Basketball | Men’s Wrestling 
 
Watch all A-R-C action on the American Rivers Sports Network. 
Don't forget to become a fan of the American Rivers Conference on Facebook @AmericanRiversConference, X (Twitter) @AmerRiversConf, and Instagram @AmericanRiversConference.
About the American Rivers Conference
Nationally respected for excellence in NCAA Division III athletics, the American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) has a tradition dating back to its founding in 1922 as the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Association and adopted its current name in 2018 to reflect its strong Iowa roots and growing regional footprint. The A-R-C is a collaborative community that champions the holistic development of student-athletes, uniting member institutions in a shared commitment to academic achievement, athletic distinction, and leadership.
 
The A-R-C is home to nine full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Luther College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. Luther College has announced its departure from the conference, effective at the conclusion of the 2025–26 academic year.