CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College track & field student-athlete Caitlyn Cox and Central College men’s track & field student-athlete Jack Brown have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending December 7, 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 - Caitlyn Cox (Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), Loras College
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Cox competed at the Moco Mercer Challenge, hosted by the University of Dubuque on the opening weekend of competition.
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She finished in first place, with a new facility record. Her mark was 18.97m.
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Cox stands atop the best performances in the country by just shy of six feet to open the season.
Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Jack Brown (Norwalk, Iowa/Norwalk), Central College
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Brown ran at the Frigid Bee Opener on Saturday during the opening weekend of the indoor track & field season.
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He posted the fastest Division III mile in the country on the weekend, clearing the field by nearly five seconds, after posting a time of 4:07.90.
Men’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Nick Howard (Lenexa, Kan./St. Thomas Aquinas), Nebraska Wesleyan University
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Howard led the Prairie Wolves to a pair of early conference victories.
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He averaged 21.0 points per game while shooting 60% from the floor at 53.8% from deep.
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Howard scored a career-high 23 points in the win over Central and followed with 19 points over Luther.
Women’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Caydee Kirkham (Carthage, Ill./Illini West), Coe College
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Kirkham helped Coe to a 2-0 start in conference action, as she averaged 20.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, and 5.0 assists per game in 76 minutes.
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She opened up the week with 21 points, seven rebounds, and two assists. She shot 9-of-21 from the floor to lead the Kohawks over Buena Vista.
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She followed with an impressive 20 points, eight rebounds and eight assists stat line as she led Coe over Wartburg.
Men’s Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - David Souvongsavath (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee), Simpson College
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Souvongsavath competed at the Grinnell Opener in the opening weekend of the indoor track & field season.
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He tossed a mark of 15.21m in the shot put to take the crown and post the sixth-best mark in program history at Simpson.
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In the weight throw, he recorded a mark of 15.10m to finish third and post the fourth-best mark in program history.
Women’s Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Annika Elco (Scottsdale, Ariz./Horizon), Luther College
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Elco set new school records in the 60m hurdles and 55m hurdles at the Cornell Winter Classic and Forever Red Alumni Classic.
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In the 60m hurdles, she broke her own school record with a time of 9.26.
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In the 55m hurdles, she broke the school record that had previously stood since 2000, with a time of 8.55.
Men’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Colin Halverson (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek), Luther College
Women’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Noelle Gallucci (Carver, Minn./Chaska), Luther College
Men’s Wrestling - Performer of the Week - Dustin Bohren (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf), Loras College
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Bohren posted a 3-0 record at 174-pounds at the Wisconsin-Eau Claire Super Quad on Thursday.
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He took down the No. 13-nationally ranked wrestler from Augsburg, by decision. Picked up a 4-1 decision over a wrestler from Wisconsin-Eau Claire and finished the day with a fall in 4:20 over the No. 18-nationally ranked wrestler from Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Women’s Wrestling - Performer of the Week - Alex Hofrichter (Antigo, Wis./Antigo), University of Dubuque
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Hofrichter placed first at the Buena Vista Women’s Open.
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On her way to the title, she scored 30 team points.
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All five of her matches came by fall, with the quickest coming in just 53 seconds.
Weekly Report
Basketball conference action has officially kicked off in the American Rivers Conference ahead of the holiday season. On the men’s side, Loras, Nebraska Wesleyan, and Wartburg have all started out perfect at 2-0. On the women’s side, Central and Coe sit atop the standings at 2-0 early followed by Univ. of Dubuque and Simpson at 1-0.
The men’s wrestling season is underway in conference action as the Wartburg Knights have jumped out to a 3-0 conference record as they chase another conference title this season. Central, UD, and Loras all remain undefeated in conference matches, too.
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.
