BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for golf and cross country on Tuesday. Student-athletes from Concordia, Macalester, St. Catherine, and Saint John'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 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 Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Reece McKee
Macalester College
Sr.
Charlottesville, Va.
Reece McKee finished first among 119 runners at the Luther All-American with a time of 20:23.0 on 9/14 in Decorah, Iowa. McKee helped the Scots place first in the team standings with 39 points, ahead of multiple regionally-ranked teams.
MIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Ashley Nelson
Concordia College
Fy.
Rice, Minn. | Sartell
Ashley Nelson posted the top women's 5K time in the MIAC this season in her first collegiate meet at the Dragon Twilight on 9/13. Nelson covered the 5K course in a time of 18:35.5, more than a minute faster than her previous PR.
MIAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Week
Ethan Kress
Saint John's University
Jr.
Woodbury, Minn.
Ethan Kress earned medalist honors for the second time in his career with a two-round total of 137 (66-71, -7) to help the Johnnies win their Fall Invitational by 15 shots (E, 576). Kress carded five birdies and eagled the par-5 No. 15 (504 yards) for a career-best 66 (-6) in the opening round at St. Cloud Country Club. The -6 is tied for the second-best round in SJU history. Kress followed that with a 71 (-1), his team-leading third round at par or better this season, at Blackberry Ridge Golf Club. He went -7 on the tourney's eight par-5 holes and tied for first in the 78-player field with nine birdies overall.
MIAC Women's Golf Athlete of the Week
Kyra Venne
St. Catherine University
Sr.
Woodbury, Minn. | East Ridge
Kyra Venne won her second consecutive tournament by carding a new program-low 36-hole score of 141 (69-72, -3) at the St. Kate's Fall Invite. Venne's ten combined birdies at Braemar Golf Course and Eagle Valley Golf Club were the most in the 59-player field.