BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for basketball, hockey, and tennis on Monday. Student-athletes from Augsburg, Bethel, Concordia, Gustavus, Saint Benedict, Saint John's, Saint Mary's, 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 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
Kobe Kirk
St. Olaf College
So. | Forward
North Oaks, Minn. | Mounds View
Kobe Kirk exploded for a career-high 44 points while going 13-for-22 from the field, 6-for-9 from three-point range, and 12-for-14 from the free-throw line in the Oles' 84-75 loss at Carleton on 1/31. Kirk's 44-point effort was the first 40-point performance by an Ole since 1976 and just the third in recorded program history. Kirk scored at least 20 points in both halves on his way to the second-highest single-game point total in the MIAC this season.
MIAC Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week
Zach Doely
Bethel University
Sr. | Forward
Stillwater, Minn. | St. Croix Prep
Zach Doely averaged a double-double in a pair of MIAC wins for the Royals last week. In an 85-69 win over Macalester on 1/31, Doely brought down 15 boards, including 11 on the defensive end, to go with 24 points. He followed that up with a 14-point, 10-rebound performance in an 80-69 win against Gustavus at home on 2/3.
MIAC Women's Basketball Offensive Player of the Week
Lydia Hay
College of Saint Benedict
Sr. | Forward
Maple Grove, Minn. | Wayzata
Lydia Hay averaged 20.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals to lead the Bennies to a pair of MIAC wins last week. Hay registered a career-high 26 points and pulled down nine rebounds in a 62-47 win over St. Scholastica on 2/3. Hay shot 9-for-18 from the field and 3-for-6 from three-point range. Earlier in the week, Hay scored 14 points in a 74-68 win over Augsburg on 1/31.
MIAC Women's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week
Makayla Anderson
Concordia College
Jr. | Forward
Bismarck, N.D. | Century
Makayla Anderson scored 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in the Cobbers' lone game last week against Saint Mary's. The 12 rebounds helped her become the 20th player in program history to reach the 500-rebound milestone. Anderson was 9-for-15 (60.0 percent) from the field and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line as she recorded her second double-double of the season. Anderson's 500th career rebound came on an offensive rebound, as she had five offensive boards in the game. Anderson also came away with four steals and a block in the Cobbers' win over the Cardinals.
MIAC Men's Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Michael Spinner
Saint John's University
So. | Defender
Prior Lake, Minn.
Michael Spinner led the Johnnies with three points (one goal and two assists) and was a +4 in a weekend split with Saint Mary's. Down by two on two occasions, Spinner tied the game for SJU with 4:29 left in the second period of an eventual 5-3 loss in Winona on 2/1 and served as the primary assist on the Johnnies' first two goals in a 4-2 home win on 2/3.
MIAC Men's Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
Samuel Vyletelka
Augsburg University
Sr. | Goaltender
Zilina, Slovakia | Grammar School of St. Francis of Assisi
Samuel Vyletelka stopped 75 of the 77 shots he faced over the weekend, as the Auggies took five of six points in a series at Concordia. He claimed his ninth career shutout and second of the season with a 40-save effort in Augsburg's 4-0 victory on 2/2, then had 35 saves in Augsburg's 2-2 overtime tie on 2/3 - his 15th game with 30 or more saves this season.
MIAC Women's Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Celia Midtbo
Saint Mary's University
Fy. | Forward
Minneapolis, Minn.
Celia Midtbo collected her first collegiate hat trick, scoring three power-play goals in the Cardinals' 5-1 win over Saint Benedict on 2/2. Midtbo netted the first and last goals of SMU's four-goal first period and added a second-period tally to complete the hat trick.
MIAC Women's Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
Anna Hanson
Bethel University
Jr. | Goaltender
Stacy, Minn. | Chisago Lakes
Anna Hanson collected 46 combined saves with a 0.49 goals against average and 97.9 save percentage in the Royals' sweep of St. Scholastica over the weekend. In the series opener on 2/2, Hanson collected 27 saves while allowing one goal. In the 2/3 finale, which BU won 4-0, Hanson collected her third shutout of the year with 19 saves.
MIAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Dominik Knutson
Gustavus Adolphus College
Fy.
Dvur Kralove nad Labem, Czech Republic | SPOS
Dominik Knutson made his dual-match collegiate debut on 2/3 as Gustavus played Division I University of North Dakota in a 4-3 loss. Knutson lost, 6-3, at No. 3 doubles but bounced back with a three-set victory at No. 5 singles. Knutson won his singles bout, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.
MIAC Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Lauryn Douglas
Bethel University
So.
North Mankato, Minn. | Mankato West
Lauryn Douglas picked up a pair of points for the Royals in a 9-0 sweep of Division II Minnesota Duluth on 2/2. Douglas was part of an 8-0 win at top doubles before adding a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles.