BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for football, volleyball, and soccer on Monday. Student-athletes from Bethel, Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, St. Catherine, and St. Olaf claimed the Conference's weekly honors.
The MIAC Athlete of the Week awards are nominated by the Conference's sports information directors and selected by MIAC staff. Throughout the fall season, team sports (football, soccer, and volleyball) Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons, with individual sports (cross country and golf) announced on Tuesday afternoons. The winners of the latest Athlete of the Week awards are listed below, along with details on their outstanding performances.
The MIAC Athlete of the Week archive has complete details on each week's selections and winners.
MIAC Football Offensive Player of the Week
Theo Doran
St. Olaf College
Sr. | Quarterback
Minneapolis, Minn. | Holy Angels
Theo Doran accounted for five total touchdowns in just over a half of play in the Oles' 41-6 win over Hamline on 10/5. Doran went 15-for-21 for 257 yards with two passing touchdowns and no interceptions while also rushing for 24 yards and a career-high three touchdowns. The senior threw touchdowns of 43 and 26 yards and ran for three more short scores before exiting the game five minutes into the third quarter.
MIAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Caden DeWall
Bethel University
Sr. | Linebacker
Becker, Minn.
Caden DeWall led the Royals' defense to a 43-0 shutout victory against Gustavus on 10/5 with a career-high 3.5 sacks. DeWall added six tackles, four of which were solo.
MIAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Damien Silus
Concordia College
Sr. | Kicker/Punter
Glencoe, Minn. | Glencoe-Silver Lake
Damien Silus went 4-for-4 on extra points and connected on a 35-yard field goal in the Cobbers' 31-6 win at Carleton on 10/5. Silus also had three touchbacks on kickoffs to keep Carleton pinned deep on their own half of the field. Silus had four punts on the day, including a pair downed inside the 20-yard-line.
MIAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week
Grace Solberg
Bethel University
Jr. | Outside Hitter
Fargo, N.D. | Davies
Grace Solberg led the Royals' offense to a pair of conference wins by posting 34 kills in eight sets (4.25 per set), averaging 4.44 points per set and adding her first career double-double. In a three-set victory over Macalester on 10/2 she tallied a career-high 21 kills hitting .512 with no attacking errors on 41 swings. Her first career double-double came in a five-set win at Carleton on 10/4 with 13 kills and 10 digs.
MIAC Volleyball Specialty Player of the Week
Macie Malchow
Gustavus Adolphus College
Fy. | Setter
Sioux Falls, S.D. | Washington
Macie Malchow posted a complete performance for the Gusties in her first collegiate start, collecting 27 assists to direct the Gustavus offense against Macalester on 10/5. Malchow added a pair of kills, a solo block, seven digs, and three service aces to lead the team to victory.
MIAC Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Shea Bechtel
St. Olaf College
Sr. | Forward
Plainfield, Ill. | North
Shea Bechtel registered two goals and one assist to lead the Oles to wins over Carleton and Macalester by a combined score of 7-1 last week. The senior set up the Oles' second goal in a 2-0 victory over the Knights on 10/2 before scoring twice in the span of 6:05 of game time in a 5-1 win against the regionally-ranked Scots on 10/5.
MIAC Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Maxim Henderson
Hamline University
So. | Goalkeeper
Phoenix, Ariz. | Saguaro
Maxim Henderson registered back-to-back shutouts with six saves apiece in 3-0 victories over Concordia (10/2) and Bethel (10/5). Henderson played all 90 minutes in both wins.
MIAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Natalie Pfleger
St. Catherine University
Jr. | Midfielder
Happy Valley, Ore. | La Salle Catholic College Preparatory
Natalie Pfleger had a five-goal week as the Wildcats recorded wins over St. Scholastica (10/1) and Saint Benedict (10/5). Pfleger tallied her first career hat trick against the Saints. Pfleger then recorded the team's second goal in a 3-0 win over the Bennies.
MIAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Kate Praetz
St. Catherine University
Sr. | Goalkeeper
Bolingbrook, Ill.
Kate Praetz collected a pair of shutouts for the Wildcats last week with wins over St. Scholastica (10/1) and Saint Benedict (10/5). Praetz faced 11 shots and had three saves on the week.