News & Links 10/20/2026 1:00:00 PM MIAC Athletes of the Week - October 20, 2026 FARMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for cross country and swimming & diving on Tuesday. Student-athletes from Carleton, Macalester, Saint John'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. Transitioning to the winter season, team sports (football, soccer, and volleyball) Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons, with individual sports (cross country and swimming & diving) 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 Cole Stencel Saint John's University Sr. Mapleton, Minn. / Maple River Cole Stencel ran the fastest 8K in program history at the George Oja Invitational in Independence, Oregon, on 10/17. Stencel finished eighth overall and third among NCAA Division III competitors with a time of 23:55.1 at the 401-runner event. Saint John's placed ninth out of 32 teams and fourth among D-III programs at the meet. MIAC Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week Abigail Burns Carleton College Fy. Iowa City, Iowa / Iowa City Abigail Burns placed eighth overall at the George Oja Invitational in Independence, Oregon, on 10/17 with a 6K time of 21:29.5. Her 6K time is the fastest in the MIAC this season and helped the Knights place second overall as a team, three points behind champion Eastern Washington of NCAA Division I. MIAC Men's Swimmer of the Week Sam Reilly St. Olaf College Fy. Sioux Falls, S.D. / Lincoln Sam Reilly won the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:55.86 at the MIAC/WIAC Invitational on 10/17. In his collegiate debut, Reilly also placed fourth in the 400-yard individual medley (4:16.59) and ninth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:01.97), with his times in the 200 IM and 400 IM ranking 24th and 28th, respectively, in NCAA Division III this season. MIAC Men's Diver of the Week Jesse Lindholm Carleton College Sr. Portland, Ore. / Oregon Episcopal School Jesse Lindholm placed seventh in both the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the MIAC/WIAC Invitational on 10/17. Lindholm scored 163.35 points off the 1-meter board and 161.70 points in the 3-meter competition. MIAC Women's Swimmer of the Week Olivia Small St. Olaf College Jr. Wauwatosa, Wis. / Wauwatosa East Olivia Small swept the titles in the 100-yard backstroke (56.61) and 200-yard backstroke (2:04.64) to lead the Oles to a third-place team finish at the MIAC/WIAC Invitational on 10/17. Small's time in the 100 back is the second-fastest in NCAA Division III this season, while her time in the 200 back ranks seventh. MIAC Women's Diver of the Week Ainsley Kashatus Macalester College So. Washington, D.C. / Holton Arms School Ainsley Kashatus swept the diving events at the MIAC/WIAC Invitational on 10/17. Kashatus scored 243.75 points on the 1-meter board and 273.05 on the 3-meter board.