BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) announced its Athlete of the Week award winners for basketball, hockey, indoor track and field, and swimming and diving on Monday. Student-athletes from Concordia, Gustavus, Hamline, Saint John’s, Saint Mary’s, and St. Thomas claimed the conference’s weekly honors for February 8-21, 2021.
The MIAC Athlete of the Week awards are nominated by the conference’s sports information directors and selected by MIAC staff. Throughout the winter season, Athletes of the Week will be recognized on Monday afternoons. The winners of the latest Athlete of the Week awards are listed below, along with details on their outstanding performances.
To view each sport’s 2020-21 Athlete of the Week home page, navigate to the MIAC’s Awards page or visit the 2020-21 Athlete of the Week news archive for complete details on each week’s selections and winners.
MIAC Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week
Eli Cave
Saint Mary’s University
Sr. | Forward
St. Paul, Minn. | Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Eli Cave scored 24 points in the Cardinals’ 57-48 home win over the Royals last Wednesday and followed that up with another 24-point performance in the teams’ rematch – a 66-58 Saint Mary’s victory – three days later. Cave went 9-for-17 with a pair of three-pointers and a perfect 4-for-4 effort from the free-throw line in last Wednesday’s win while adding five rebounds, one assist, and a steal. In the sequel on Saturday, Cave equaled his offensive performance, once again knocking down nine field goals on 17 attempts, while pouring in four three-pointers and a 2-for-2 effort from the charity stripe. Cave has now scored in double figures in 32 straight games and in 56 contests over the past three seasons, netting 20 or more points 28 times in his collegiate career.
MIAC Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week
Emily Beseman
Concordia College
So. | Guard
Swanville, Minn.
Emily Beseman averaged 20.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in the Cobbers’ wins against Saint Benedict on Feb. 10 and Bethel on Feb. 21. The sophomore guard totaled a game-high 25 points to go along with seven assists in Concordia’s 65-62 win over Bethel this past Sunday. Beseman scored eight of the Cobbers’ final 12 points in the game to lift Concordia to victory over the Royals for the first time since 2016.
MIAC Women’s Hockey Athlete of the Week
Maddy Fiedler
University of St. Thomas
Sr. | Forward
Chanhassen, Minn.
Maddy Fiedler had a six-point week over four games – with two goals and four assists in seven days – to help the Toms start their season with a 3-1 record. The senior forward added either a goal or assist in every game, which included a 4-3 loss to Hamline, two defeats of Saint Benedict, and a win over Bethel. Fiedler now has 81 points in 84 career games and moved into a tie for seventh on the Tommies’ career scoring list. St. Thomas is 19-1-4 in games on her career when Fiedler scores a goal.
MIAC Men’s Track Athlete of the Week
Ryan Miller
Saint John’s University
Sr.
Maple Grove, Minn. | Totino-Grace
Ryan Miller registered a pair of victories in the 60-meter dash over the last two weeks, clocking in at 7.11 seconds to win the Bethel Triangular on Feb. 20 and crossing the finish line in 6.94 seconds to win the Johnnies’ home triangular on Feb. 13. The senior sprinter’s time of 6.94 is tied for the 11th-fastest 60-meter mark in NCAA Division III this season.
MIAC Men’s Field Athlete of the Week
Joe Martin
Hamline University
Sr.
Lakeville, Minn. | South
Joe Martin recorded a season-best distance of 17.26 meters in the shot put in a dual meet with St. Thomas over the weekend. That mark currently ranks first in the nation among Division III competitors, besting his previous nation-leading distance of 17.18 meters, thrown on Feb. 7.
MIAC Women’s Track Athlete of the Week
Josie Herrmann
Concordia College
Sr.
New Prague, Minn.
Josie Herrmann ran three races against NCAA Division I and II athletes over the last two weeks and won all three competitions. This past Saturday, she ran the fastest 800-meter time in Division III at 2:13.68. Herrmann also crossed the finish line in 1:39.29 the previous weekend in the 600 meters. She now owns the fastest time in the MIAC this season in both events.
MIAC Women’s Field Athlete of the Week
Madi Kes
Gustavus Adolphus College
Fy.
Jordan, Minn.
Madi Kes won both the triple jump and long jump on Feb. 13 in a meet with Saint Benedict. The first-year’s leap of 11.34 meters in the triple jump ranks first in the MIAC and fourth in NCAA Division III, while her mark of 4.99 meters in the long jump ranks fourth in the conference.
MIAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week
Nolan Larson
Gustavus Adolphus College
Sr.
West Des Moines, Iowa | Waverly-Shell Rock
Nolan Larson claimed five victories on Sunday against Saint John’s, including four individual events and one relay. Larson won the 200 free (1:44.33), 200 butterfly (2:01.73), 100 free (47.38), 200 IM (1:59.15), and was part of the winning 200 medley relay (1:35.37).
MIAC Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week
Ellen Hofstede
Gustavus Adolphus College
So.
Hopkins, Minn.
Ellen Hofstede paced the Gustie women on Sunday in their victory over Saint Benedict with three individual wins and two relay victories. Hofstede and the 400 free relay team set a pool record with a time of 3:35.77. The sophomore also won the 100 free (51.81), 200 free (1:56.28), 100 butterfly (59.11), and was part of the winning 200 free relay (1:38.39).
