CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Luther College women’s swimmer Mia Prater, Luther College women’s diver Noelle Gallucci, Coe College swimmer Kamen Rangelov, and Luther College diver Colin Halverson have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending February 22, 2026. 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.  Co-Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Mia Prater (Superior, Colo./Monarch), Luther College

• Prater earned A-R-C Women’s Swimmer of the Meet. 
• Prater picked up wins in the 100 freestyle (52.43), 100 backstroke (58.20), and 50 freestyle (23.42). 
• Was part of the 400 freestyle relay (first place), 200 freestyle relay (second place), 200 medley relay (second place), and 800 freestyle relay (second place). 

Co-Female Athlete of the Week - Women’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Noelle Gallucci (Carver, Minn./Chaska), Luther College

• Gallucci earned A-R-C Women’s Diver of the Meet. 
• Gallucci earned victories in the 1M and 3M diving events in her first championship. 
• She hit an NCAA cut in the 3M diving (452.80) and finished with an 11-dive total of 400.30 in the 1M diving competition. 

Co-Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Kamen Rangelov (Jacksonville, Fla./The Bolles School), Coe College

• Rangelov earned A-R-C Men’s Swimmer of the Meet. 
• He earned individual wins in the 200 breaststroke (2:00.99 - all-time and championship record), 100 breaststroke (54.97 - all-time and championship record, NCAA cut), 50 freestyle (20.78)
• Was part of the 400 medley relay (third place) and 200 medley relay (third place).

Co-Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Swimming & Diving - Performer of the Week - Colin Halverson (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek), Luther College

• Halverson earned his third A-R-C Diver of the Meet honor. 
• He finished with an all-time and championship record, as well as an NCAA cut, in the 1M competition with an 11-dive score of 507.80.
• In the 3M, he recorded another NCAA cut with an 11-dive score of 494.80. 

Baseball - Pitcher of the Week - Jack Walsh (Dubuque, Iowa/Wahlert), Coe College

• Walsh opened up the season with an impressive performance in cold conditions for the Kohawks. 
• He struck out eight batters while allowing one hit in 5.1 innings of work versus Wisconsin-Stout. 

Baseball - Position Player of the Week - Dom DeLaPaz (Davenport, Iowa/West), Central College

• DeLaPaz had a big Friday night with four extra-base hits, including a two-RBI double in the top of the ninth inning to retake the lead in a 10-9 victory over Hardin Simmons. 
• He added two home runs that bring him to 25 career home runs, tying the school record. 

Men’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Kanyon Bryte (Peosta, Iowa/Western Dubuque), Coe College

• Bryte had back-to-back impressive performances for the Kohawks in a 2-0 week.
• He registered a pair of career-highs with 29 points and 18 rebounds while adding three steals and two blocks versus Central. 
• He followed it up with a strong effort in a 15-point comeback victory for Coe against Simpson, totaling 12 points and eight rebounds with one block and one steal. 

Women’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Carney Black (Tilden, Neb./Elkhorn Valley), Nebraska Wesleyan University

• Black averaged 21.0 points per game and 10.0 rebounds per game, recording her third double-double of the season. 
• She shot 54.5% from the field and 44.4% from three-point range. 
• She opened the week with a career high 30-points and 11 rebounds against Buena Vista. 

Softball - Pitcher of the Week - Eva Fahrnbruch (Aurora, Neb./Aurora), Nebraska Wesleyan University

• Fahrnbruch went 1-1 with a 1.05 ERA across two starts, throwing 13.0 innings and allowing just two earned runs. 
• She tossed two complete games, including one shutout, accounting for 46.4% of the team’s total innings pitched during the week. 
• Opened up with a complete-game, two-run effort against No. 5-nationally ranked St. Mary’s (Minnesota). 
• She walked three batters across 13.0 innings. 

Softball - Position Player of the Week - Jenna Kimberling (North Platte, Neb./North Platte St. Patricks), Nebraska Wesleyan University

• Kimberling hit .417 with a 1.450 OPS and .917 slugging percentage across four games at the Bethany Quik Trip Invitational. 
• She recorded four extra-basehits. Additionally, she scored four runs. 
• She posted a .533 on-base percentage with three walks against just one strikeout. 

Men’s Tennis - Performer of the Week - Joao Benvenutti (Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil/Colegio Saber), Luther College

• Benvenutti went 3-0 in action last week. 
• He picked up a No. 1 singles win versus Buena Vista (6-0, 6-0). 
• At No. 1 doubles versus St. Olaf, he partnered with Abhay Chhabra, to earn a 6-1 win. 
• At No. 1 singles versus St. Olaf, he earned a 7-5, 6-3 win. 

Men’s Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Sam Clements (Elmwood, Neb./Elmwood-Murdock), Nebraska Wesleyan University

• Clements competed at the Loper Tune-Up at the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Friday. 
• He recorded a personal best and moved to No. 11 in Division III in the shot put with a mark of 17.10m to finish first out of 13 competitors. 
• This mark ranks No. 3 in program history, too. 

Men’s Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Eli Etherton (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln East), Nebraska Wesleyan University

• Etherton ran at the Loper Tune-Up at the University of Nebraska-Kearney on Friday. 
• He recorded a season best run in the 60m hurdles with a time of 8.04 to finish third out of 13 competitors. 
• Additionally, this places him No. 6 in Division III this season. 

Women’s Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Abby Veld (Steamboat Rock, Iowa/AGWSR), Wartburg College

• Veld competed at the Liz Wuertz Indoor Invite on Saturday at Wartburg. 
• In the shot put, she finished with a mark of 13.29m to finish first out of 24 competitors. 
• In the weight throw, she finished with a mark of 16.43m to finish first out of 21 competitors. 

Women’s Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - JoJo Tyynismaa (Tama, Iowa/South Tama), Wartburg College

• Tyynismaa ran at the Liz Wuertz Indoor Invite on Saturday at Wartburg. 
• In the 60m hurdles, she finished with a time of 8.71 to finish first out of 24 competitors. She ranks 11th in Division III this season. 
• In the 200m dash, she finished with a time of 25.20 to finish first out of 42 competitors. She ranks third in school history after this time. 
• In the 4x400m relay, she was part of the impressive Knight crew who finished with a time of 3:53.03 to finish first out of 15 relay teams. 
• All three times posted with Tyynismaa were meet records at the Liz Wuertz Invite. 

Women’s Wrestling - Wrestler of the Week - Rewa Chababo (Katy, Texas/Mayde Creek), Wartburg College

• Chabobo claimed the NCAA Region V Championship at 207lbs. 
• She finished the weekend a perfect 4-0 with two technical falls, one fall, and a decision victory in the championship bout over No. 2-ranked wrestler from the University of Iowa. It was the wrestlers second loss of the season. 
• Chababo will advance to the inaugural NCAA NC Women’s Wrestling Championship. 

Weekly Report
Crossover season is officially here as spring sports begin in high gear! Baseball, softball, and tennis teams are back in action. 
 
The men’s and women’s basketball tournaments tipoff tomorrow evening. The Nebraska Wesleyan men and Wartburg women picked up regular season titles as they head into the postseason tournament. 
 
The Wartburg College women’s wrestling team finished runner-up at NCAA regionals over the weekend and have seven national qualifiers. The A-R-C will send 11 wrestlers to nationals in Coralville, Iowa March 6 and 7 in the inaugural NCAA NC Championship. 
 
Men’s wrestling regionals are this weekend for A-R-C teams as Loras College hosts at Five Flags in Dubuque, Iowa. 
 
The American Rivers Conference nears the 2026 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship in Cedar Rapids on March 13-14 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse. Tickets go on sale February 7. More information can be found here about the championship event.
 
Championship Central: The next championship will be the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments beginning on February 24 with first round action. The A-R-C will host the indoor track & field championships this weekend, February 27 and 28, as Luther College serves as host. 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.