BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for football, volleyball, and soccer on Monday. Student-athletes from Augsburg, Bethel, Gustavus, 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 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 Football Offensive Player of the Week
Joey Gendreau
Saint John's University
Sr. | Tight End
Shorewood, Minn. / Minnetonka
Joey Gendreau became the fifth Johnnie in program history to catch four touchdown passes or more in a game with four (21, 62, 7, and 4 yards), to go along with 115 yards, on six catches in the first half of SJU's win over Macalester on 10/11. Gendreau has eclipsed 100 receiving yards in four of SJU's five games.
MIAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Chance Swansson
Gustavus Adolphus College
Jr. | Cornerback
Inver Grove Heights, Minn. / Rosemount
Chance Swansson got the Gusties on the board with a 40-yard pick-six in the first quarter of the team's victory over St. Olaf on 10/11. Swansson jumped an Ole pass to the flat and took it to the house for the first defensive touchdown of his collegiate career and his second interception in as many games. Swansson added four solo tackles and returned three punts for 33 yards in the win.
MIAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Ethan Hess
St. Olaf College
So. | Kicker
Marshall, Minn. / Marshall
Ethan Hess connected on field goals of 44 and 39 yards in the Oles' loss to Gustavus on 10/11. The 44-yarder in the final minute of the first quarter is a career-long for Hess, and the longest field goal by an Ole since 2013.
MIAC Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week
Peyton Howie
Bethel University
Jr. | Middle Blocker
Blaine, Minn. / Irondale
Peyton Howie hit a season-best .586 with 18 kills, four blocks, three digs, and a pair of service aces in the Royals' 3-0 sweep of Concordia on 10/11. Howie's 18 kills tied a season-high as she reached double-digit kills for the seventh straight match.
MIAC Volleyball Specialty Player of the Week
Morgan Ryan
St. Olaf College
Sr. | Libero
Chanhassen, Minn. / Minnetonka
Morgan Ryan tallied 47 digs (5.88 per set), seven aces (0.88 per set), and 11 assists (1.38 per set) to help the Oles stretch their winning streak to 11 matches with victories over Hamline and Gustavus. After recording 22 digs, five aces, and eight assists in a road sweep of the Pipers on 10/8, the senior had 25 digs, two aces, and three assists in a five-set win over the nationally-ranked Gusties on 10/10, handing Gustavus its first regular-season MIAC loss since 2021.
MIAC Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Thomas Laaksonen
Saint Mary's University
So. | Forward
Victoria, Minn. / Holy Family
Thomas Laaksonen tallied five second-half points in the Cardinals' 4-1 win over UW-Stout on 10/8. Laaksonen evened the score at 1-1 in the 52nd minute before adding an insurance goal in the 78th and assisting on the final SMU goal five minutes later. It was the first multi-goal game of Laaksonen's collegiate career and his third multi-point game of the season.
MIAC Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Christian Hodges
Augsburg University
Fy. | Goalkeeper
New Albany, Ohio / Tree of Life Christian School
Christian Hodges played all 180 minutes in 1-0 shutout victories over UW-Superior (10/7) and Hamline (10/11). Hodges stopped five shots against the regionally-ranked Yellowjackets and four against the Pipers for his NCAA Division III-leading ninth individual clean sheet of the season.
MIAC Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Jayla Ponce
Augsburg University
Sr. | Forward
Kuna, Idaho / Kuna
Jayla Ponce registered the game-winning goal in conference victories over Macalester (10/6) and Hamline (10/11). Ponce recorded the only tally in Augsburg's 1-0 victory at Macalester before finding the back of the net once in each half of the Auggies' 4-0 win over Hamline. The latter was Ponce's fourth multi-goal game of the season.
MIAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Claire Smothers
Augsburg University
So. | Goalkeeper
Iowa City, Iowa / Iowa City
Claire Smothers made eight saves in a pair of shutout victories for the Auggies last week. Smothers recorded four saves each in wins against Macalester (10/6) and Hamline (10/11). Two of her four saves against the Scots came in the final ten minutes of play. Smothers has recorded shutouts in three consecutive games and four of her last five starts.