BLOOMINGTON, Minn. –Â The Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) launched its league-wide Athlete of the Week program ahead of the 1999-2000 academic year. In the two decades since, the conference has recognized hundreds of student-athletes for exceptional performances in competition. In the absence of competitive athletics this fall, the MIAC will take time each week to revisit some memorable performances from the last 20 years of the Athlete of the Week program.
Today’s Athlete of the Week Rewind revisits some outstanding achievements for the dates of November 10-16 over the last 20 years.
MIAC Football Offensive Player of the Week
Manuel Spreigl (November 13, 2000)
St. Olaf College
Jr. | Running Back
South St. Paul, Minn.
Manuel Spreigl rushed 37 times for 259 yards and a MIAC record six touchdowns in the Ole’s 42-35 win over Carleton College at Laird Stadium. Spreigl broke the MIAC single-game rushing touchdown record with six scores and surpassed the previous conference mark of 34 points scored with 36 on Saturday.
MIAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Tim Pahula (November 13, 2000)
Saint John’s University
Sr. | Linebacker
Eagan, Minn.
Tim Pahula had nine tackles, two sacks, and an interception return for a touchdown in a 35-14 win over Concordia on Saturday. On the Cobbers’ possession after SJU’s initial touchdown, Pahula scored from 40 yards out on an interception to give SJU a 14-0 second-quarter lead. Pahula leads the team in tackles with 73 tackles on the season to go along with five sacks and two interceptions for the NCAA Division III playoff-bound Johnnies.Â
MIAC Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Vinny Pallini (November 14, 2016)
University of St. Thomas
Fr. | Wide Receiver
Green Bay, Wis. | Notre Dame Academy
Vinny Pallini did something Saturday in his team’s home win over St. Olaf that few modern collegians have accomplished. He returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown, then kicked the extra point to account for all seven points on the scoring play. A standout kicker in high school, Pallini scored his second collegiate touchdown and converted first PAT attempt. Pallini also had two punt returns for 30 yards for a total of 126 return yards on three attempts.
MIAC Men’s Soccer Athlete of the Week
Andy Moulton (November 10, 2004)
Gustavus Adolphus College
Sr. | Goalkeeper
St. Peter, Minn.
Andy Moulton helped the Gusties win the MIAC Playoffs and earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament by posting two shutouts last week. Moulton has only allowed one goal against this season and has eleven shutouts on the year.
MIAC Women’s Soccer Athlete of the Week
Lisa Bauer (November 12, 2003)
Macalester College
Sr. | Goalkeeper
Woodbury, Minn.
Lisa Bauer recorded two shutouts in the MIAC Playoffs last week helping the Scots win the MIAC Playoff Championship. Bauer made five saves in the semifinal 5-0 victory over St. Thomas on Tuesday. In the MIAC Championship game on Saturday, Bauer recorded two saves in regulation play and saved three penalty shots to lift the Scots past regular-season champion Saint Benedict.
MIAC Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week
Jackson Henningfield (November 12, 2018)
Macalester College
So. | Forward
Lake Mary, Fla. | Lyman
Jackson Henningfield tallied a career-high 32 points to go with 10 rebounds in a victory at North Central University last Thursday. The sophomore post player made 13-of-20 from the field, including 4-of-5 from three-point range, in the Scots’ season opener.
MIAC Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week
Jenna Januschka (November 16, 2015)
Concordia College
Jr. | Forward
St. Cloud, Minn. | Cathedral
Jenna Januschka averaged 17.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the floor, 40 percent from three, and 90 percent from the line in a pair of games for Concordia to open the season. Januschka started her junior campaign with a career-high 13 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists – including a perfect 4-for-4 showing from the line – in an 86-77 loss Friday against UW-Superior. Her career-high scoring mark did not last long, as she was even better in Saturday’s 69-58 win over Minnesota-Morris. Januschka poured in 22 points on 8-for-14 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
MIAC Men’s Hockey Athlete of the Week
Justin Quale (November 14, 2016)
Hamline University
So. | Goaltender
Hopkins, Minn. | Benilde-St. Margaret’s
Justin Quale kicked out 61 of 64 shots sent his way as the Pipers improved to 4-0-2 overall – their best start ever to a season. On Friday, he made 32 saves on 34 shots in a 2-2 OT tie at UW-River Falls, and Saturday he made 29 saves and allowed just one goal in a 5-1 Hamline victory at UW-Superior.Â
MIAC Women’s Hockey Athlete of the Week
Stacy Anderson (November 15, 2004)
Augsburg College
So. | Forward
Lafayette, Calif. | Marina
Stacy Anderson claimed her first collegiate hat trick with a three-goal, one-assist performance in Augsburg’s 7-0 win over Finlandia on Friday and had two goals and two assists in the Auggies’ 6-3 win on Saturday. Her first five goals of the season all came on the power play, giving her a total that currently stands as the most power-play goals in the nation among Division III players.
MIAC Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week
Nolan Larson (November 12, 2019)
Gustavus Adolphus College
Jr.
West Des Moines, Iowa | Dowling Catholic
Nolan Larson won all three of his events and set a pool record in a dual victory over St. Olaf on Saturday. Larson won the 200 freestyle in 1:43.60, breaking the previous Vic Gustafson Pool record of 1:44.18 set by Gustavus’ Matt Stewart in 2008. Larson also won the 100 butterfly in 51.15 and was a member of the winning 200 medley relay team, touching the wall in 1:36.34. With the meet’s decision in hand, Larson also raced in the 400 freestyle relay and posted the fastest time as an exhibition.
MIAC Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week
Emma Paulson (November 16, 2016)
University of St. Thomas
Sr.
Wayzata, Minn.
Emma Paulson had six individual or relay swims last weekend at the Tommies’ Andregg Invite, and all six rank in top five of Division III this season. A three-time NCAA champion last March, Paulson swam the nation’s second-fastest time in the 50-yard freestyle (23.63) and the third-fastest 200-yard backstroke time (2:04.40). She also swam on the top-ranked 800-yard freestyle relay (7:50.04); the No. 3-ranked 400-yard medley relay (3:58.08); the fifth-ranked 200-yard freestyle relay (1:37.72); and fourth-ranked 400-yard freestyle relay (3:34.04, her split, 51.65). Paulson also ranks third in the nation in the 100-yard freestyle and ninth in the 200-yard freestyle.
