CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced the league’s Athletes of the Week for the week ending November 8, 2026. The A-R-C weekly awards are nominated and voted on by the league’s sports information departments.
Men's Basketball - Player of the Week - Jake Willems (Port Byron, Ill./Riverdale), Loras College
Willems powered the Duhawks to a 2-0 start to the season, averaging 30.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game over the opening weekend. He erupted for 34 points and eight rebounds in Loras' victory over Minnesota Morris before following with a 27-point, 12-rebound double-double in the win over Concordia Chicago. Willems was highly efficient offensively, shooting 58.0 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from three-point range across the two contests.
Women's Basketball - Player of the Week - Halsey Thomalla (Gothenburg, Neb./Gothenburg), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Thomalla led the Prairie Wolves to a 2-0 start to the season, averaging 22.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game across the team's opening weekend. She opened her collegiate career with an impressive 20-point, 12-rebound performance against Waldorf before recording 24 points and eight rebounds against Faith Baptist Bible. Thomalla shot an efficient 70.8 percent (17-of-24) from the field and 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from three-point range over the two contests. With her back-to-back 20-point performances, Thomalla became the first Nebraska Wesleyan women's basketball player to accomplish the feat since the 2019-20 season, helping the Prairie Wolves secure their first 2-0 start since 2022-23.
Football - Defensive Player of the Week - Noah Noland (Carlisle, Iowa/Carlisle), Simpson College
Noland turned in a career-best defensive performance, recording 19 tackles (13 solo) to lead the Storm's defensive effort. He also forced a fumble and recorded one tackle for loss.
Football - Offensive Player of the Week - Noah Cracraft (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), Simpson College
Cracraft delivered a record-breaking performance in the Storm's double-overtime road victory over Nebraska Wesleyan. He hauled in 335 receiving yards, breaking the A-R-C single-game receiving yards record that had stood since 2009 while also setting a new Simpson single-game record that had stood for 60 years. Cracraft added four receiving touchdowns, tying his career high for touchdowns in a single game. His historic performance helped propel the Storm to an exciting double-overtime victory over the Prairie Wolves.
Football - Special Teams Player of the Week - Ian Gebhardt (Arlington, Tex./Mansfield Summit), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Gebhardt continued his remarkable season on special teams, delivering an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown midway through the fourth quarter against Simpson to help erase a 10-point deficit and force overtime. The return marked his second kickoff return touchdown in as many weeks and his third return touchdown in three consecutive weeks, while ranking as the sixth-longest kickoff return in program history. Gebhardt finished with two receptions for 59 yards and added his third passing touchdown of the season.
Men’s Soccer - Defensive Player of the Week - Alexander Drexler (High Ridge, Mo./Northwest), Loras College
Drexler anchored the Duhawks defensively with a pair of shutouts to help lead Loras to the A-R-C tournament title. He recorded his first clean sheet in a 2-0 upset victory over second-seeded Wartburg in the semifinals before delivering another shutout in the championship match against Simpson.
Men’s Soccer - Offensive Player of the Week - Joseph Sorce (Park Ridge, Ill./Notre Dame College Prep), Loras College
Sorce delivered the decisive moment for the Duhawks, scoring the game-winning goal in a semifinal upset of second-seeded Wartburg in the A-R-C tournament.
Women’s Soccer - Defensive Player of the Week - Amanda Pascale (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), Simpson College
Pascale helped anchor the Storm's defense on the way to the program's first conference tournament title since 1999. She delivered a clean sheet in the championship match, recording two saves to help Simpson secure the tournament title. In the semifinals against Loras, Pascale held the Duhawks scoreless while making five saves before helping lead the Storm to a 3-2 victory in the penalty kick shootout.
Women’s Soccer - Offensive Player of the Week - Ally Hoffa (Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), Simpson College
Hoffa played a pivotal role in leading the Storm to their first league tournament title since 1999. She scored both goals in Simpson's 2-0 victory in the championship match, powering the Storm past UD to secure the conference tournament title.
Men's Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Jacob Hanson (Fremont, Neb./Blair), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Hanson turned in a strong performance at the UNK Invite, recording season-best times in three individual events. He posted a 21.55 in the 50 freestyle, a 49.05 in the 100 freestyle and a 1:00.47 in the 100 breaststroke.
Women's Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Haylee Nebola (Thorton, Colo./Riverdale Ridge), Nebraska Wesleyan University
Nebola delivered an outstanding performance at the UNK Invite, earning four individual top-three finishes while helping the Prairie Wolves capture first place in the 400 medley relay. She won the 100 individual medley in 1:05.35, a time that ranks fifth nationally in NCAA Division III, while also placing second in the 200 IM (2:13.34), third in the 100 backstroke (59.81) and second in the 200 backstroke (2:08.10). Nebola led off the winning 400 medley relay, contributing to a successful weekend for the Prairie Wolves.
Women’s Volleyball - Defensive Player of the Week - Taylor Bechen (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial), University of Dubuque
Bechen played a key role in helping the Spartans close out the regular season undefeated in conference play for the third time in the last four years and secure the conference regular season title. She recorded 37 digs in a five-set road victory over Simpson. Bechen followed with 20 digs in UD's sweep of North Park to finish the regular season, totaling 57 digs (7.13 digs per set) across the two matches.
Women’s Volleyball - Offensive Player of the Week - Delainey Winkel (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny Centennial), University of Dubuque
Winkel helped lead the Spartans to an undefeated conference regular season for the third time in the last four years, securing the conference regular season title. She recorded 33 kills (4.13 kills per set) over the final week of the regular season, highlighted by a 22-kill performance in a five-set road victory over Simpson. Winkel also contributed 25 digs against the Storm.
Men's Wrestling - Wrestler of the Week - Kade Blume (Roland, Iowa/Roland-Story), Wartburg College
Blume, the defending NCAA Division III national champion at 141 pounds, delivered an impressive performance at the inaugural COLLIDE All-Star Showcase in Des Moines, Iowa. Blume faced reigning NAIA national champion Yoshiya Funakoshi of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical, securing a fall at 6:55 to earn the victory.
Women's Wrestling - Wrestler of the Week - Isabel Kaplan (West Lafayette, Ind./West Lafayette), Simpson College
Kaplan captured the 110-pound title at the Pointer Open, going undefeated with a 3-0 record on Nov. 7. She opened the tournament with a dominant 39-second pin over Suri Bettencourt before earning a 12-1 technical fall victory over Cassidy O'Connell. Kaplan closed out the tournament with a 15-4 technical fall win over Brianne Graves to secure the bracket championship.
Weekly Report
Cross Country: It is regional week for A-R-C cross country teams. Regionals will take place at Saukie Golf Course in Rock Island, Ill. The women's 6k will be at 11:00 a.m. and the men's 8k will be at 12:00 p.m.
Football: The winner-take-all game is upon us. The Coe Kohawks and Wartburg Knights will face off on Saturday in Waverly. Both teams sit at 6-0 in conference action.
Men’s Soccer: The Loras Duhawks claimed the A-R-C tournament title as the three seed to punch their ticket to the NCAA tournament. The Duhawks will face Wisconsin-Superior in the opening round on Saturday in Northfield, Minn.
Women’s Soccer: The Simpson Storm came to Dubuque twice last week and won on the road to claim the conference tournament title for the first time since 1999. The Storm will face Hope in the opening round on the campus of WashU in St. Louis. The Loras Duhawks snuck into the NCAA tournament as an at-large team and will host the first and second rounds from the Rock Bowl. Loras will open with St. Catherine.
Women’s Volleyball: The A-R-C tournament begins tomorrow night. The championship match will be Saturday, November 14 at the highest remaining seed in the bracket. The Univ. of Dubuque Spartans claimed the regular season title, after posting a perfect 7-0 conference regular season mark.
Championship Central: The women's volleyball tournament begins tomorrow, Tuesday, November 10. 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.
