CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – The American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) announced that Loras College track & field student-athlete Caitlyn Cox and Luther College baseball student-athlete CJ Boudreaux have been named American Rivers Conference Athletes of the Week for the week ending April 26, 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 - Women’s Outdoor Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Caitlyn Cox (Des Moines, Iowa/Valley), Loras College
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Cox broke her own school record, posted a new lifetime best, and ranks second in Division III this season after her performance at Drake Relays in the hammer throw.
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She tossed a mark of 57.84m to finish fifth out of 20 competitors.
Male Athlete of the Week - Baseball - Pitcher of the Week - CJ Boudreaux (Humble, Texas/Atascocita), Luther College
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Boudreaux set the single season school record for saves in a single game on Friday versus Simpson. In addition, he also set the career school record for saves.
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Versus Wartburg, he pitched one inning with one walk, one strikeout in four batters saved.
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He recorded a save in the first game versus Simpson and got credited for the win in the second game.
Baseball - Position Player of the Week - Zach Gwost (Little Falls, Minn./Little Falls), Luther College
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Gwost went 4-for-7 with three RBIs, three runs, and one triple versus Wartburg.
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Against Simpson, he went 7-for-12 from the plate with 12 RBIs, four runs, four homeruns, and one double.
Men’s Golf - Golfer of the Week - Jack Wahman (Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk), Simpson College
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Wahman competed at the Highland Classic on April 20.
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He posted a two-round total of 157 to finish 19th.
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Wahman posted an 85 in the opening round of the A-R-C Men’s Golf Championships on Sunday.
Softball - Pitcher of the Week - Kaili Henning (Fort Dodge, Iowa/Saint Edmond), Loras College
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Henning threw a four-hit shutout versus Luther in a 1-0 win.
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She followed that performance with a two-hit shutout in a 3-0 win over Central then earned the save in game two, a 4-2 win.
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She finished the week with a 0.00 ERA, two wins, and one save.
Softball - Position Player of the Week - Raven Allen (Birmingham, Ala./McAdory), Luther College
Men’s Tennis - Performer of the Week - Jaimes Palmer (Surbiton, United Kingdom/The Hollyfield School), Loras College
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Palmer went 2-0 in singles action and 3-0 in doubles action over the week.
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He picked up wins over UD, Central, and Simpson.
Women’s Tennis - Performer of the Week - Lena Lichau (Marsberg, Germany/Carolus-Magnus-Gymnasium Marsberg), Luther College
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Lichau had a 4-0 week in the A-R-C Women’s Tennis Tournament as the Norse claimed the title.
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She picked up two wins at No. 2 singles (6-3, 6-1 and 7-6 (7-4) 6-4).
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At No. 2 doubles, she grabbed wins with Abby Struble (6-4 and 7-5).
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field - Field Performer of the Week - Colin Wojtkiewicz (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield), Nebraska Wesleyan University
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Wojtkiewicz competed at the Prairie Wolf Invitational.
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In the hammer throw, he finished with a mark of 60.72m to finish first out of 33 competitors. His mark is a new school record and ranks third in Division III this season.
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In the shot put, he recorded a mark of 16.24m to finish second out of 29 competitors.
Men’s Outdoor Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Noah Smith (Gretna, Neb./Gretna), Nebraska Wesleyan University
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In the 110-meter hurdles at the Prairie Wolf Invitational, he crossed the finish line in 14.15 seconds to finish first out of 12 competitors. He now ranks third in NWU history and seventh in Division III this season.
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At Drake Relays in the 4x110 shuttle hurdle relay, the team finished in 59.37 seconds to finish in fourth place out of 10 teams. This was a new school record.
Women’s Outdoor Track & Field - Track Performer of the Week - Loras College SMR (Katie Flynn, Layla Hughes, Rosie Flynn, Keelee Leitzen)
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The Loras sprint medley relay team claimed the Drake Relay title.
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They crossed the finish line in 4:01.33 to finish first out of 14 teams.
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They set a new Loras record with their time.
Weekly Report
The 2026 A-R-C Men’s Golf Championship is underway from West Des Moines, Iowa and Glen Oaks Country Club. This is the third consecutive year the A-R-C Championship has been hosted at Glen Oaks. The University of Dubuque carried a round one lead and UD’s Luke Harwick had the individual lead after day one. The championship wraps up on Tuesday, April 28.
The men’s tennis regular season came to a conclusion as preparations heat up for the tournament. The Luther College Norse claimed their 37th overall conference regular season title last week.
The Luther College women’s tennis team punched their ticket back to the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Tournament after defeating Coe in the championship match.
The Norse claimed the outright regular season baseball title over the weekend. This was their 14th overall title, first since 2009, and first outright title since 1985.
In the softball race, the Wartburg College Knights continue to lead the race.
The 2026 Outdoor Track & Field Championship begins on Thursday, April 30 and runs through Saturday, May 2 in Pella, Iowa as Central College serves as the host.
Championship Central: It is the busy spring season for the A-R-C. 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.
