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, Concordia, Gustavus, Saint Benedict, 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 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
David Dorsey
Concordia College
Jr. | Outfield
Delano, Minn.
David Dorsey had at least one hit in all three games for the Cobbers last week, batting .461 (6-for-13) with three home runs, eight RBI, and six runs scored. Dorsey had a career-high four RBI in the first game against Saint John's on 4/23 and belted two home runs in game two. Dorsey has hit safely in six straight games.
MIAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week
John Solfest
Bethel University
Gr. | Right-handed Pitcher
Shoreview, Minn. | Mounds View
John Solfest picked up two wins for the Royals in two appearances where he gave up no runs, allowed three hits and one walk, and struck out 11 in eight innings of work. Out of the pen against Augsburg on 4/23, Solfest tossed a scoreless 12th inning that included back-to-back strikeouts as the Royals won in the bottom half of the frame. On 4/27 against Saint Mary's, he pitched a complete game shutout where he matched a career-high with nine Ks.
MIAC Softball Player of the Week
Olivia Tautges
College of Saint Benedict
So. | Outfield
Brainerd, Minn.
Olivia Tautges hit .412 (7-for-17) with three home runs and 10 RBI as the Bennies went 5-1 on the week. Tautges had a 1.059 slugging mark and .421 on-base percentage while recording six putouts and a 1.000 fielding percentage. Tautges also totaled eight runs scored and added a pair of doubles on the week.
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, posting a 1.17 ERA while tossing a pair of complete games in three starts. She struck out a combined 28 hitters while giving up three earned runs and walking two. Against Augsburg on 4/23, she led BU to an 8-3 victory by tossing a complete game effort where she struck out 10, walked one, and surrendered two earned runs. At Macalester on 4/27, she picked up both wins in the circle, throwing a combined 11 innings that included a shutout in game two. She struck out nine Scots and issued one walk.
MIAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Marjan Veldic
St. Olaf College
Fy.
Rochester, Minn. | Lourdes
Marjan Veldic went 3-0 in singles and 2-1 in doubles to help the Oles clinch their first MIAC Men's Tennis Playoff berth since 2015. The first-year picked up a pair of victories at No. 2 singles against Bethel and Macalester along with a straight-set win against Northwestern in his first match at No. 1 singles. He also split a pair of tiebreakers at No. 1 doubles in MIAC play and added an 8-6 win at No. 2 doubles against the Eagles.
MIAC Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Kaya De Bruijn
Gustavus Adolphus College
So.
Maasland, Netherlands | Stedelijk Gymnasiu
Kaya De Bruijn was undefeated for the Gusties in four matches last week. The sophomore won all of her doubles matches at the No. 1 spot, claiming four MIAC wins, including an 8-5 victory over nationally-ranked Bethel. De Bruijn also went undefeated in singles play, winning all four of her matches at No. 3, and three of the four in straight sets.