BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for baseball, softball, and tennis on Monday. Student-athletes from Bethel, Gustavus, Saint John's, Saint Mary's, St. Olaf, and St. Scholastica 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 spring season, team sports (baseball, softball, and tennis) Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons, with individual sports (golf 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 Baseball Player of the Week
Chris Knowles
Gustavus Adolphus College
Jr. | First Base
New Ulm, Minn. | Cathedral
Chris Knowles batted .500 with 17 RBI in seven games during the Gusties' trip to the Tucson Invitational. Knowles hit 15-for-30 with 10 runs scored, two doubles, and three home runs, helping the Gusties go 6-2 during the week. Knowles had a hit in every game of the trip and extended his hitting streak to nine games to start the season. He capped the week with his best performance in a 13-0 win over Sul Ross State, batting 4-for-4 with two home runs and eight runs batted in.
MIAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Jeremy Klick
Saint John's University
Sr. | Right-handed Pitcher
Maple Grove, Minn.
Jeremy Klick recorded his first collegiate save last week, allowing one hit with a .067 opponent batting average and 10 strikeouts in five innings across two appearances. He gave up the lone single with four strikeouts in three innings of SJU's eventual 8-3, 13-inning loss to Heidelberg on 3/4 and struck out all six batters faced for the save in the Johnnies' 5-1, game-one victory over Baruch on 3/8.
MIAC Softball Player of the Week
Makayla Steffes
Saint Mary's University
Fy. | Third Base
Winona, Minn.
Makayla Steffes hit a team-leading .500 - going 9-for-18 - with 11 runs scored and nine RBI for the Cardinals in six games last week. Steffes highlighted her first collegiate spring trip with a 4-for-4, five-run, four-RBI performance against Emmanuel on 3/4.
MIAC Softball Pitcher of the Week
Kayla Simacek
Bethel University
Sr. | Pitcher
Hastings, Minn.
Kayla Simacek went 3-0 in the circle for the Royals while posting a 0.64 earned run average and striking out a combined 32 hitters without issuing a walk last week. In a 3-1 win over nationally-ranked Rowan on 3/9, Simacek struck out seven while giving up one run on three hits. She tossed a one-hit shutout while striking out 16 of the 22 batters faced against Farmingdale State on 3/10. Simacek also threw two immaculate innings, only needing nine pitches to strikeout the side in the first and third. She closed the weekend with a complete game win over Lasell on 3/10 with eight strikeouts while giving up one run on three hits.
MIAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Dane Patten
The College of St. Scholastica
Fy.
Duluth, Minn. | East
Dane Patten earned a 6-1, 7-5, 10-8 win at No. 3 singles against Concordia Wisconsin on 3/8 and picked up a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No.1 singles versus Edgewood. He has now won nine singles matches in a row. Patten added a pair of wins at No. 2 doubles and one win at No. 1 doubles last week.
MIAC Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Fiona O'Flaherty
St. Olaf College
Jr.
La Crosse, Wis. | Aquinas
Fiona O'Flaherty won both of her matches, including the deciding bout at No. 4 singles, in the Oles' 5-4 win over UW-Eau Claire on 3/9. With the match tied at 4-4, O'Flaherty completed a 6-4, 4-6, 11-9 victory in a super tiebreaker to clinch the win for the Oles. O'Flaherty was also part of an 8-1 win at No. 2 doubles in the victory.