CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced the league’s Athletes of the Week for the week ending October 25, 2026. The A-R-C weekly awards are nominated and voted on by the league’s sports information departments.
Football - Defensive Player of the Week - Owen Long (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Long led the Prairie Wolves with 14 total tackles and recorded his first two career interceptions in a 69-48 victory over Loras. Long returned his second interception for a touchdown in the third quarter, extending Nebraska Wesleyan’s lead to 42-24, as the Prairie Wolves’ defense forced six turnovers, including five interceptions. He recorded nine or more tackles for the third consecutive game and ranks third on the team with 51 total tackles and second with two interceptions this season. Long has also tallied 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sacks.
Football - Offensive Player of the Week - Dawson Rud (Mondovi, Wis./Mondovi), Wartburg College
Rud rushed for 158 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries to lead the Knights to a 33-14 road victory over UD. Rud scored on explosive runs of 25, 23 and 13 yards, helping Wartburg secure its tenth consecutive win over the Spartans. His performance was especially impressive against a UD defense that had not allowed a 100-yard rusher in American Rivers Conference play this season. Rud also added one reception for six yards to finish with 164 yards from scrimmage and three total touchdowns. He ranks sixth nationally in NCAA Division III with 12 rushing touchdowns this season, leading the A-R-C, and ninth nationally with an average of 7.21 yards per carry.
Football - Special Teams Player of the Week - Ian Gebhardt (Arlington, Tex./Mansfield Summit), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Gebhardt returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown in the Prairie Wolves’ 69-48 victory over Loras, becoming the first Nebraska Wesleyan player to return a punt for a touchdown since 2019. His return was the longest in the conference this season and the longest in the conference since 2021, while ranking third in program history. Gebhardt finished with 178 all-purpose yards, marking his fourth game this season with more than 170 all-purpose yards, and ranks sixth nationally in NCAA Division III with an average of 171.33 all-purpose yards per game. He also scored touchdowns in three different ways, returning a punt for a score, catching a touchdown pass and throwing a 35-yard touchdown pass to Joey McLaughlin.
Men’s Soccer - Defensive Player of the Week - Riley Johnson (Lombard, Ill./Willowbrook), University of Dubuque
Johnson played all 180 minutes in goal for the Spartans, recording two shutouts and making eight saves to help UD remain unbeaten in league play. Johnson helped lead the Spartans to 3-0 victories over Wartburg and Simpson, clinching at least a share of the A-R-C regular-season title. Johnson now has five shutouts this season, including three in conference play, anchoring a strong defensive effort for the Spartans.
Men’s Soccer - Offensive Player of the Week - Jonah Lasselle (Albany, Ore./West Albany), Coe College
Lasselle recorded three goals and an assist to lead the Kohawks to a pair of conference victories. He became Coe’s all-time leading freshman scorer during the week, reaching ten goals on the season. Lasselle opened the week with a goal and an assist against Nebraska Wesleyan, beating two defenders before finishing from a tight angle to open the scoring. He later assisted on Coe’s second goal and drew the penalty that led to the go-ahead goal in the 65th minute. On Saturday, Lasselle scored the opening two goals against Buena Vista, helping the Kohawks secure their second consecutive victory.
Women’s Soccer - Defensive Player of the Week - Samantha Jurgens (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North), University of Dubuque
Jurgens played all 180 minutes in goal, allowing just one goal on 24 shots faced to help the Spartans earn a pair of conference victories over Wartburg and Simpson. Jurgens recorded nine saves during the week, including seven against Wartburg to preserve the shutout and secure the victory over the Knights. The two wins moved the Spartans into second place in the conference standings and set up a title opportunity on Tuesday night versus Loras.
Women’s Soccer - Offensive Player of the Week - Olivia DeVos (Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk), Central College
DeVos added another goal and an assist to his season totals in a road victory over Buena Vista.
Men's Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Mattia Rosatelli (Rome, Italy/Liceo Scientifico Albert Einstein), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Rosatelli won two individual events to lead the Prairie Wolves to a 149-62 dual victory over Minnesota Morris. Rosatelli captured the 100-yard breaststroke in 59.32 seconds, a time that ranks 91st nationally in NCAA Division III this season, and added a victory in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:03.77. The two event wins helped Nebraska Wesleyan open its dual meet season with a decisive victory.
Women's Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Bea Massa Micon (Torino, Italy), Nebraska Wesleyan
Massa Micon won two individual events to help the Prairie Wolves defeat Minnesota Morris 162-69 in their first dual meet of the season. Massa Micon captured the 100-yard freestyle in 53.19 seconds, winning by more than five seconds, and the 50-yard freestyle in 24.34 seconds, finishing more than a second ahead of the field. Both times rank among the top 30 nationally in NCAA Division III this season, with her 100-yard freestyle time ranking 25th and her 50-yard freestyle time ranking 30th. She also helped Nebraska Wesleyan secure a victory in the 200-yard freestyle relay, swimming the leadoff leg of the quartet that finished in 1:42.70.
Women’s Volleyball - Defensive Player of the Week - Taylor Bechen (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial), University of Dubuque
Bechen recorded 76 digs across 11 sets, averaging 6.91 digs per set, to help the Spartans earn two victories during a 2-1 week. Dubuque secured wins over Loras and Carthage before falling to (RV) UW-Whitewater in four sets. Bechen totaled 34 digs against Carthage, marking the eighth time this season she has recorded 30 or more digs in a match, continuing to anchor the Spartans’ defensive efforts.
Women’s Volleyball - Offensive Player of the Week - Macy Plucker (Canton, S.D./Canton), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Plucker averaged 4.67 kills per set while hitting .344 to help the Prairie Wolves earn sweeps over Buena Vista and Coe. Plucker opened the week with 13 kills on a .303 hitting percentage in a 3-0 victory over Buena Vista on before adding 15 kills, eight digs and a .387 hitting percentage in a sweep of Coe. Across six sets, Plucker totaled 28 kills and 33.5 points, averaging 5.58 points per set. Plucker has recorded double-digit kills in 11 of Nebraska Wesleyan’s first 22 matches this season and averages 2.83 kills per set.
Weekly Report
Cross Country: Championship week is upon the A-R-C. The 2026 cross country championship is set for this Saturday in Storm Lake.
Football: Coe and Wartburg continue to lead the league in the standings, even though both programs got down early in their week seven matchups. Coe and Wartburg are set to play each other the final Saturday of the season on November 14 in Waverly.
Men’s Soccer: The final conference game is Tuesday evening for the league. UD has claimed at least a share of the regular season and has secured the No. 1 seed in the upcoming A-R-C tournament.
Women’s Soccer: Loras has claimed at least a share of the league title and will face UD on Tuesday evening.
Men's & Women's Swimming & Diving: The 2026-27 swimming & diving season is officially underway! The league will look different this year with the addition of Illinois Tech and Minnesota Morris as affiliate members.
Women’s Volleyball: UD and Simpson continue to lead the pack with 4-0 conference records.
Championship Central: The next championship of the 2026-27 academic year will be the Cross Country Championships on October 31 as Buena Vista University serves as the host. Additionally beginning on October 31 will be the Men's and Women's Soccer Tournaments. The full 2026-27 championship calendar can be found HERE.
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 Live: 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 eight full-time member institutions: Buena Vista University, Central College, Coe College, University of Dubuque, Loras College, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Simpson College, and Wartburg College. The A-R-C also includes two affiliate members for men’s and women’s swimming & diving: Illinois Tech and University of Minnesota Morris.
