Athletes of the Week & Weekly Report Announced by A-R-C - December 15, 2025

12/15/2025 3:55:00 PM

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

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Nebraska Wesleyan University track & field student-athlete Emmilly Berglund and Central College men’s track & field student-athlete Gunner Meyer have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending December 14, 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 Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Emmilly Berglund (Shelton, Neb./Shelton), Nebraska Wesleyan University
  • Berglund finished first out of 33 competitors at the Bulldog Early Bird Invitational in shot put.
  • She posted a mark of 14.02m, to move to the best mark this indoor season in Division III. 
Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Gunner Meyer (Fairbank, Iowa/Wapsie Valley), Central College
  • Meyer set an A-R-C record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 7.92. 
  • He currently ranks atop the Division III times this season. 
  • He set the record at the Jimmy Grant Invitational. 
Men’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Jayden Brink (Spring Valley, Minn./Kingsland), Buena Vista University
  • Brink turned in a game-high 28 points on the road in conference at Simpson. 
  • He made a career-high nine free throws, going 9-of-10 from the charity stripe. 
  • Brink is averaging a league-best 23.3 points per game through the first three conference games. 
Women’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Audrie Helmrichs (Greeley, Iowa/Edgewood-Colesburg), Coe College
  • Helmrichs had a career-best game in the Kohawks road conference win at Nebraska Wesleyan. 
  • She totaled 27 points and 11 rebounds, as she set a new career-high in points. 
  • She shot 11-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-6 from the free throw line as she posted her fourth double-double of the year. 
Men’s Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Samuel Clements (Elmwood, Neb./Elmwood-Murdock), Nebraska Wesleyan University
  • Clements traveled to the Bulldog Early Bird Invitational and competed in the shot put and weight throw.
  • In the shot put, he finished first out of 36 competitors with a mark of 17.01m. He currently ranks No. 2 in Division III and sits fourth all-time in Nebraska Wesleyan history. 
  • He tossed a mark of 16.75m in the weight throw to finish sixth out of 43 competitors and ranks sixth in the country this season. 
Women’s Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Ava Parkins (Monmouth, Ill./Burlington Notre Dame), Central College
  • Parkins ran the eighth fastest 60m in the country in prelims at the Jimmy Grant Invitational. 
  • She posted a time of 7.70 to finish seventh out of 17 runners. She finished seventh behind all Division I runners.
  • Additionally, she finished third out of eight runners in the 300m with a time of 39.35.
Men’s Wrestling - Performer of the Week - Justin Matson (Hinckley, Minn./Hinckley-Finlayson), University of Dubuque
  • Matson saw the mat at the Prairie Wolf Invitational on Saturday. 
  • Matson picked up two wins in fall, over wrestlers from Nebraska Wesleyan and Westminster, in just 33 seconds and 47 seconds. 
Women’s Wrestling - Performer of the Week - Emme Hicks (Ypsilianti, Mich./Saline), Simpson College
  • Hicks kickstarted the Storm’s dual victory over Augustana with a pin. 
  • She recorded the pin in 2:35 to improve to 5-1 on the season. 
Weekly Report
This marks as the final athlete of the week and weekly report of 2025. The American Rivers Conference wishes everyone Happy Holidays. The conference is excited for a strong 2026. 
 
Basketball action continued over the weekend. On the men’s side, Loras and Nebraska Wesleyan stand a perfect 3-0. On the women’s side, Coe, University of Dubuque, and Simpson all remain perfect early in the conference season. Non-conference action will continue through the holidays with the conference season resuming on January 3. 
 
Central, UD, Loras, and Wartburg all remain perfect in the men’s wrestling standings as many teams ramp up for NWCA National Duals on January 9-10. 
 
Championship Central: The A-R-C takes a break from conference championship action until January now. The next championship will be women’s wrestling on January 24 in Pella, Iowa. The full 2025-26 championship calendar can be found here: https://tr.ee/xwew1v
 
Winter Sport Standings: Men’s Basketball | Women’s Basketball | Men’s Wrestling 
 
Watch all A-R-C action on the American Rivers Sports Network. 
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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.