CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College softball student-athlete Kiya Steger and Wartburg College baseball student-athlete Andrew Gallegos have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending March 15, 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.
Female Athlete of the Week - Pitcher and Position Player of the Week - Kiya Steger (Dyersville, Iowa/Western Dubuque), Loras College
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Steger performed from the circle and batters box for the Duhawks while on spring break in Florida.
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She batted .394 with 13 hits and 14 RBIs in the 8-2 run in Florida.
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From the circle, she went 3-0 with a 1.03 ERA. She held opposing teams to a .189 batting average and recorded 27 strikeouts.
Male Athlete of the Week - Baseball - Position Player of the Week - Andrew Gallegos (Naperville, Ill./Naperville Central), Wartburg College
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Gallegos led Wartburg to a Saturday series sweep of St. Olaf.
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He batted 5-of-9 with two home runs, one double, six RBIs, and three runs scored across the doubleheader.
Baseball - Pitcher of the Week - Easton Dunwoody (Ankeny, Iowa/Ankeny), Simpson College
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Dunwoody threw a complete-game victory in Simpson’s 10-1 win over Beloit.
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He allowed just three hits and two walks while striking out ten.
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Held Beloit to a .136 batting average and recorded a .71 WHIP.
Weekly Report
The winter sport season continues to near the end. The final winter championship on the docket is the NCAA Division III Swimming & Diving Championships. Luther’s Mia Prater will represent the A-R-C.
The A-R-C had one of the best showings in history at the NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship as the league served as the host. The Wartburg College Knights dominated the team field to claim their 17th national title in program history. The A-R-C was led by three individual national titles from Wartburg’s Kade Blume and Kasey Ross and Central’s Cade Siebrecht. The A-R-C had a total 16 All-Americans from the 29 student-athletes who advanced to the championship.
Championship Central: The A-R-C takes a pause now from conference championships until late April. The full 2025-26 championship calendar can be found here: https://tr.ee/xwew1v
Spring Sport Standings: Baseball | Softball | Men’s Tennis
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.
