News & Links 4/7/2026 1:00:00 PM MIAC Athletes of the Week - April 7, 2026 BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -- The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for outdoor track & field and golf on Tuesday. Student-athletes from Concordia, Gustavus, and St. Catherine 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 (outdoor track & field 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 Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week Soren Sackreiter Gustavus Adolphus College Sr. St. Paul, Minn. / Como Park Soren Sackreiter was the runner-up in the 10000 meters at the Norse Invite on 4/3, finishing the race in a personal best time of 33:21.73. Sackreiter's time ranks fifth in the MIAC this season. MIAC Men's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week Cooper Folkestad Concordia College Sr. Wadena, Minn. / Wadena-Deer Creek Cooper Folkestad posted the top distances in NCAA Division III in both the discus and shot put at the Embry-Riddle Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida, on 4/2. Folkestad broke the program record in the discus with a throw of 55.25 meters (181' 3"), surpassing the previous Cobber mark by ten feet. Folkestad also won the shot put with a throw of 18.31 meters (60' 1"). Both distances top the MIAC and NCAA Division III this season. MIAC Women's Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week Ashley Nelson Concordia College So. Rice, Minn. / Sartell Ashley Nelson clocked a time of 18:15.02 in the 5000 meters to finish in fifth place at the Embry-Riddle Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida, on 4/2. Nelson's time is a career best and the second-fastest in the MIAC this season. The mark is also the ninth fastest in program history and fastest by any Cobber since 2019. MIAC Women's Outdoor Field Athlete of the Week Abby Lovelace Concordia College Jr. Fargo, N.D. / Fargo North Abby Lovelace recorded the MIAC's top point total in the heptathlon this season at the Embry-Riddle Classic in Daytona Beach, Florida, on 4/2. Lovelace finished the seven events with a total of 4,322 points, which leads the MIAC and ranks eighth in NCAA Division III. The point total earned her a second-place finish at the meet, which featured athletes from primarily Division I and II programs. MIAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Week Kyle Peterson Gustavus Adolphus College Fy. Duluth, Minn. / Duluth East Jimmy Abdo and Kyle Peterson tied for third on the individual leaderboard at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational on 4/3-4. After finishing 4-under-par in round one, Peterson went +3 in harsh conditions in round two, while Abdo fired rounds of 1-under and even-par at Weibring Golf Course in Normal, Illinois. The two scores helped Gustavus tie for 11th place as a team at the meet. MIAC Men's Golf Athlete of the Week Jimmy Abdo Gustavus Adolphus College So. Edina, Minn. / Edina Jimmy Abdo and Kyle Peterson tied for third on the individual leaderboard at the Illinois Wesleyan Invitational on 4/3-4. After finishing 4-under-par in round one, Peterson went +3 in harsh conditions in round two, while Abdo fired rounds of 1-under and even-par at Weibring Golf Course in Normal, Illinois. The two scores helped Gustavus tie for 11th place as a team at the meet. MIAC Women's Golf Athlete of the Week Caylin Cantwell St. Catherine University So. Blaine, Minn. / Totino Grace Caylin Cantwell and Arivia DeBoer tied for third on the individual leaderboard at the Upper Iowa Invitational on 4/4. After weather conditions canceled the first round, both Cantwell and DeBoer shot 7-over-par 79s to tie for third in round two, helping the Wildcats take second as a team in the ten-squad event. MIAC Women's Golf Athlete of the Week Arivia DeBoer St. Catherine University Fy. Glenwood, Minn. / Minnewaska Caylin Cantwell and Arivia DeBoer tied for third on the individual leaderboard at the Upper Iowa Invitational on 4/4. After weather conditions canceled the first round, both Cantwell and DeBoer shot 7-over-par 79s to tie for third in round two, helping the Wildcats take second as a team in the ten-squad event.