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 Gustavus, Hamline, Saint John's, and Saint Mary'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 spring season, team sports (baseball, softball, and tennis) Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons, with individual sports (golf, outdoor 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.
The MIAC Athlete of the Week archive has complete details on each week's selections and winners.
MIAC Baseball Player of the Week
Danny Gavin
Gustavus Adolphus College
So. | Outfield
Iowa City, Iowa | Regina Catholic
Danny Gavin extended his hitting streak to nine games with a 16-for-24 performance at the plate across six contests last week. The Gusties' leadoff hitter had at least three hits in four of the six games, highlighted by a perfect 4-for-4 performance in a 13-3 win over Carleton on 3/28. Gavin scored ten runs, had five RBI, hit two doubles, and belted a pair of home runs. Gavin also stole four bases and walked five times, reaching base safely in 21 of his 29 plate appearances for a .724 on-base percentage.
MIAC Baseball Pitcher of the Week
Connor Hartley
Saint John's University
Jr. | Right-handed Pitcher
Inver Grove Heights, Minn. | Rosemount
Connor Hartley earned the complete-game shutout in the Johnnies' 3-0, game-one win over Macalester to open conference play on 3/28. Hartley allowed three singles and struck out three without a free pass on just 69 pitches - 47 of which were strikes - in seven innings. Hartley retired his first ten batters faced in the game.
MIAC Softball Player of the Week
Peyton Berg
Saint Mary's University
Jr. | First Base
Chatfield, Minn.
Peyton Berg drove home six runs in seven at-bats to help the Cardinals sweep St. Catherine to begin conference play on 3/28. Berg went 4-for-7 at the plate with a slugging percentage of 1.571 and an on-base percentage of .625 in the doubleheader. She opened the series with a two-run home run in the first inning of an eventual 16-0 win before coming up a triple shy of the cycle in game two when she went 3-for-4 with an RBI-single, a double, and a three-run home run in a 13-5 victory.
MIAC Softball Pitcher of the Week
Makayla Steffes
Saint Mary's University
So. | Pitcher
Winona, Minn.
Makayla Steffes allowed two hits in as many appearances, pitching 5.0 innings and earning one win in the Cardinals' sweep of St. Catherine to open the conference schedule on 3/28. Steffes got the start and struck out three in four innings of work for a 16-0 shutout victory to begin the series. She returned for one inning of relief duty in game two, allowing one run on one hit with two strikeouts in a 13-5 win.
MIAC Men's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Rafael de Camargo Costa
Gustavus Adolphus College
Sr.
Sao Paulo, Brazil | Colegio Franciscano Pio XII
Rafael de Camargo Costa won both his singles matches and his lone doubles match as the Gusties earned a pair of shutout victories over MIAC opponents on 3/29. Costa started the day by winning a third-set breaker, 10-4, over St. Olaf at the No. 3 singles spot. He was then victorious in both his singles and doubles matches at Macalester, winning 8-5 at No. 3 doubles and 6-1, 6-0 at No. 3 singles.
MIAC Women's Tennis Athlete of the Week
Christine Muller
Hamline University
Jr.
Inver Grove Heights, Minn. | Simley
Christine Muller led the Pipers in their 5-4 victory over Saint Mary's on 3/29 with an 8-5 win at No. 2 doubles and a 6-1, 6-3 decision at No. 4 singles. The result was the Hamline women's tennis team's first MIAC victory since 4/14/2019 and the program's first triumph over Saint Mary's since 2006.