BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for basketball, hockey, softball, and tennis on Monday. Student-athletes from Augsburg, Bethel, Carleton, Gustavus, Saint Benedict, and Saint Mary's 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 winter season, team sports (basketball and hockey) Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons, with individual sports (swimming & diving and indoor track & field) announced on Tuesday afternoons. The winners of the latest Athlete of the Week awards are listed below, along with details on their outstanding performances.
To view each sport's 2023-24 Athlete of the Week home page, navigate to the 2023-24 Athlete of the Week archive for complete details on each week's selections and winners.
MIAC Men's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week
Payton Thomsen
Bethel University
So. | Guard
Blaine, Minn. | Spring Lake Park
Payton Thomsen averaged 28.0 points and eight boards for the Royals in the final week of the regular season. He tallied 28 points in a five-point loss at Saint John's on 2/14 where he shot 9-of-14 while sinking a career-high six threes. At St. Olaf on 2/17, Thomsen picked up his first career double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds to lead BU to an 83-69 victory and the final spot in the MIAC Men's Basketball Playoffs.
MIAC Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week
Spencer Swanson
Gustavus Adolphus College
Jr. | Forward
Waconia, Minn.
Spencer Swanson starred on both sides of the court in three wins for the Gusties last week, averaging 16.3 points and 9.3 rebounds. Swanson picked up 26 rebounds on the defensive end alone and added two blocks and four steals to his total through the two games. Swanson picked up his ninth double-double of the season against Saint Mary's on 2/14, hauling in 13 points and 12 rebounds, including a game-high 11 defensive rebounds.
MIAC Women's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week
Megan Morgan
College of Saint Benedict
So. | Wing
Winona, Minn. | Cotter
Megan Morgan averaged 18.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 blocks while shooting 61.1 percent from the field as the Bennies had a 1-1 week. In the regular season finale, Morgan posted a career-high with 26 points and 10 rebounds for her first collegiate double-double in a 76-50 win over St. Catherine. Morgan was 6-for-6 from long range and 8-for-11 (72.7 percent) from the floor. She also had five assists, made all four free throws, and did not commit a turnover. Morgan added 10 points, three rebounds, two blocks, and two assists against Bethel on 2/14.
MIAC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week
Emma Kniefel
Gustavus Adolphus College
Sr. | Guard
Medford, Minn.
Emma Kniefel helped the Gusties claim their second consecutive MIAC regular season championship with three wins last week. Against Augsburg on 2/12, Kniefel hauled in five rebounds with three steals and 16 points. Against Saint Mary's on 2/14, Kniefel had 13 points, five assists, two steals, and a rebound. She added six boards, five assists, and nine points against Hamline on 2/17.
MIAC Men's Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Tyler Braccini
Bethel University
So. | Forward
Hanover, Minn. | Buffalo
Tyler Braccini led the Royals to a sweep of Hamline with a pair of multi-goal performances last weekend. Braccini tallied the Royals' first two goals in the opening 15:30 while going +2 on ice as part of a 6-5 win on 2/16. In a 6-4 win on 2/17, Braccini put Bethel up 2-0 with a power play goal 5:09 into the first before scoring 30 seconds into the second.
MIAC Men's Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
AJ Ruskowski
Saint Mary's University
Jr. | Goaltender
Traverse City, Mich.
AJ Ruskowski posted back-to-back 45-save efforts to lead the Cardinals to a pair of one-point wins that clinched a spot in the MIAC Men's Hockey Playoffs. Ruskowski played all 120 minutes in goal during SMU's road sweep of Concordia on 2/16-17.
MIAC Women's Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Kennedy Stein
Augsburg University
Sr. | Forward
Lake Forest, Ill.
Kennedy Stein scored five goals with an assist on the weekend, as the Auggies swept St. Scholastica to clinch the No. 2 seed in the MIAC Women's Hockey Playoffs. In a 5-0 home win on 2/16, Stein assisted on the first goal of the game, then scored a pair of unassisted goals, including an empty-net marker. On 2/17 in Duluth, Stein claimed her second career hat trick, and the 39th in program history, in Augsburg's 5-3 win. Stein scored the first two goals of the game, including a power-play goal, then scored the Auggies' final goal in the second period.
MIAC Women's Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
Sophia Coltvet
Gustavus Adolphus College
Sr. | Defender
Arden Hills, Minn. | Mounds View
Sophia Coltvet led the Gusties to their second and third consecutive shutout victories from the blue line last weekend, totaling three points and holding St. Olaf to just 19 shots. Coltvet picked up her second consecutive two-goal game on 2/16, scoring the first and third Gustie goals, and adding an assist on the fourth. The senior ended the weekend with 10 shots on goal and a +2 rating.
MIAC Softball Player of the Week
Makayla Steffes
Saint Mary's University
Fy. | Third Base/Pitcher
Winona, Minn.
Makayla Steffes batted .615 with eight hits in 13 at-bats, including a double and a triple, with five runs scored and a pair of runs batted in during her collegiate debut. Steffes also finished 2-0 with a 1.32 ERA in 13 2/3 innings in the pitcher's circle. Steffes had multiple hits in three of four games and extra-base hits against North Central and Nebraska Wesleyan on 2/18.
MIAC Softball Pitcher of the Week
Sydney Trentman
Carleton College
Fy. | Pitcher
Metamora, Ill.
Sydney Trentman had a nearly perfect collegiate debut in the Knights' 9-0 (5 inn.) victory over Crown on 2/17. Trentman was one batter short of a perfect game but still delivered the fourth no-hitter in recorded program history. Trentman walked the leadoff batter, struck out the next two batters, and the baserunner was caught stealing. She then retired every batter she faced the rest of the way. Her final pitching line was 5.0 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 1 walk, and nine strikeouts - including eight in a row at one point.
MIAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Marco Siviero
Gustavus Adolphus College
Jr.
Sao Miguel de Oeste, Brazil | Goliath Academy
Marco Siviero won all four of his matches on 2/17 as the Gusties shut out both Bethel and No. 36 Grinnell. Against the Royals, Siviero prevailed, 8-3, at No. 1 doubles before winning 6-2, 6-4 at top singles. Against Grinnell, Siviero helped record another 8-3 win at No. 1 doubles and then rounded out the day with a 6-4, 6-3 win at No. 1 singles.
MIAC Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Michaella Sullivan
Bethel University
Fy.
Prior Lake, Minn. | Lakeville South
Michaella Sullivan picked up two critical points in the Royals' 5-4 win over UW-Eau Claire on 2/16. Sullivan remained perfect in doubles play with an 8-2 victory. At No. 2 singles, Sullivan helped BU go up 4-1, winning in straight sets, 6-2, 7-5.