CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College women’s track & field student-athlete Caitlyn Cox, Wartburg College women’s track & field student-athlete JoJo Tyynismaa, Central College track & field student-athlete Kale Purcell, and University of Dubuque track & field student-athlete Jaberrius Peake have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending March 1, 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 Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Caitlyn Cox (Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), Loras College

• Cox was named Most Valuable Field Performer at the A-R-C Indoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend. 
• Cox picked up wins in the shot put and weight throw. 

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

• Tyynismaa was named Most Valuable Track Performer at the A-R-C Indoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend. 
• Tyynismaa earned individual wins in the 60m dash, 60m hurdles, and 200m.
• Additionally, she was part of the championship 4x400 relay team. 

Co-Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Kale Purcell (Holton, Kan./Holton), Central College

• Purcell was named Most Valuable Field Performer at the A-R-C Indoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend. 
• Purcell earned wins in the long jump and triple jump. 

Co-Male Athlete of the Week - Men’s Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Jaberrius Peake (Clanton, Ala./Chilton County), University of Dubuque

• Peake was named Most Valuable Field Performer at the A-R-C Indoor Track & Field Championships over the weekend. 
• Peake picked up individual wins in the 400m and 200m. 
• He was part of the UD 4x400 relay that finished third. 

Baseball - Pitcher of the Week - Garrett Walsh (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest), Nebraska Wesleyan University

• Walsh threw a 7.0 inning complete game shutout in non-conference action versus Grinnell on Saturday. 
• He allowed just four hits with no walks and recorded five strikeouts from the mound. 
• He retired 15 of the final 17 batters to close out the victory. 

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

• DeLaPaz hit .500 over the four-game weekend, driving in four runs and scored three runs himself. 
• DeLaPaz recorded his 26th home run of his career to break the program record. 

Men’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Damyen Jackson (Davenport, Iowa/Assumption), Loras College

• Jackson led all scorers with 24 points in the A-R-C tournament championship game on Satruday. 
• He averaged 22.0 points per game, while shooting 60% from the floor, 60% from deep, and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe during the Duhawks two tournament games. 

Women’s Basketball - Performer of the Week - Caydee Kirkham (Carthage, Ill./Illini West), Coe College

• Kirkham led Coe to its first A-R-C tournament title since 2012. 
• She scored 18 and 21 points during the tournament. 
• She opened the tournament versus Buena Vista with 19 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one steal before scoring 21 points with seven assists, six rebounds, and three games in the title game versus Wartburg. 

Softball - Pitcher of the Week - Marina Cronin (Kingsley, Iowa/Remsen St. Mary’s), Simpson College

• Cronin appeared in two games and pitched six innings. 
• She allowed just one unearned run while collecting a win and a save with four hits allowed, one walk, and six strikeouts. 
• Simpson went a perfect 4-0 with two wins over No. 20 Illinois Wesleyan. 

Softball - Position Player of the Week - Caelynn Obleton (Marion, Iowa/Linn-Mar), Simpson College

• Obleton went 5-for-11 from the plate as the Storm began their season with a perfect 4-0 record, including two wins over No. 20 Illinois Wesleyan. 
• She recorded four RBIs, four stolen bases, two runs, and one walk in her showing. 

Men’s Tennis - Performer of the Week - Alex Slaymaker (Geneseo, Ill./Geneseo), Central College

• Slaymaker went 1-1 in singles and 1-1 in doubles on the week. 
• He earned wins versus Cornell in both singles and doubles. 

Men’s Wrestling - Wrestler of the Week - Eric Kinkaid (Camanche, Iowa/Camanche), Loras College

• Kinkaid was named Region VI’s Most Outstanding Wrestler after claiming the 157lb weight class title. 
• He defeated top-seeded Charlie Dojan of Wartburg by a 10-8 decision in the championship bout. 
• He recorded two falls and a tech fall on his way to the championship match. 

Weekly Report
It is NCAA Tournament time for men’s and women’s basketball! The Loras College Duhawks men’s basketball team and Coe College Kohawks women’s basketball team picked up A-R-C tournament crowns on Saturday to punch their tickets to the NCAA Tournament.
 
The 11 qualifying women’s wrestlers in the A-R-C will compete this weekend in the inaugural NCAA NC Women’s Wrestling Championship in Coralville, Iowa. 
 
The A-R-C is sending a record 29 men’s wrestlers to the NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship in two weeks in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The regional action was highlighted by Loras College’s Eric Kinkaid being named Most Outstanding Wrestler of Region VI. 
 
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. More information can be found here about the championship event.
 
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
 
Winter Sport Standings: Men’s Basketball | Women’s Basketball | Men’s Wrestling 
 
Watch all A-R-C action on the American Rivers Sports Network.