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 Augsburg, Carleton, 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
Mohammed Bati
Augsburg University
Sr.
Dodola, Ethiopia / GAP School
Mohammed Bati opened his fall season with the 14th victory of his 21-race cross country career, winning the Hamline Invitational on 9/12. Bati claimed victory in the 116-runner race with a time of 25:19.0 and a 55-second margin of victory on the 8K course at Highland 9 Trailhead in St. Paul.
MIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Hannah Preisser
Carleton College
Sr.
Chapel Hill, N.C. / Carrboro
Hannah Preisser ran away with the individual title at the Hamline Invitational on 9/12 for the sixth win of her collegiate cross country career. Making her season debut, Preisser won by more than 25 seconds, crossing the finish line at 21:40.9 to lead the nationally-ranked Knights to a team victory at the eight-squad competition.
MIAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Week
Gavin Grahek
Saint John's University
So.
Maple Grove, Minn. / Maple Grove
Gavin Grahek earned the first medalist honor of his career with a 1-under-par 141 at UW-Eau Claire's Frank Wrigglesworth Blugold Invitational on 9/14-15. Grahek placed first out of 120 golfers, helping the Johnnies to a third-place finish as a team. Grahek began the tournament with a 2-under par 69 on 9/14 and went -2 in his final 11 holes to finish with a 1-over par 72 on 9/15. He was -4 on the par-5 holes, +1 on the par-4 holes, and tied for second with seven birdies.
MIAC Women's Golf Athlete of the Week
Carter Sichol
Carleton College
Sr.
Winnetka, Ill. / New Trier
Carter Sichol shot an even-par 144 at the NCAA Preview on 9/13-14. After carding a 1-under-par 71 in the first round, Sichol continued her consistent play with a 1-over 73 in round two. Contested at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, California, the 15-team NCAA Preview field featured 13 teams in the most recent Women's Golf Coaches Association (WGCA) Top 25 Poll, including the nation's six top-ranked programs, and 10 of the top 13 squads.