(WIAC) – The WIAC has announced its athletes of the week for the week ending March 31st along with nominees for the honors.
Winners include Owen DePrez of Luxemburg-Casco, Kiran Sanford of Mishicot and Madeline Zirbel of De Pere.
Multiple other former area high school athletes also received honorable mention.
BASEBALL
Position
Anthony Massa, Sophomore (Manhattan, Ill./Lincoln-Way West), Infield of UW-Platteville
Massa had a big week at the plate for the Pioneers, batting .455 (10-for-22) with a slugging percentage of 1.000 as UW-Platteville went 4-1. He started the week by going 3-for-5 with five runs batted in and two runs scored in a win over Loras College (Iowa). Massa then went 2-for-4 in game one against UW-Stout on March 28, before adding another two hits, including a home run, in game two, while driving in three and scoring two more. On March 29, Massa homered twice and drove in five runs in the first game against the Blue Devils before coming through with a go-ahead grand slam in the bottom of the eighth inning in game two to propel the Pioneers to an 8-4 win. In total, Massa finished with four home runs, 17 RBI, and seven runs scored on the week, while drawing an additional three walks and stealing a base.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Austin Curti, Sophomore, Outfield, River Falls, Wis. (River Falls)
UW-La Crosse, Chris Calico, Junior, Outfield, West Salem, Wis. (West Salem)
UW-Oshkosh, Logan Scholl, Junior, Outfield, Pewaukee, Wis. (Pewaukee)
UW-River Falls, Tanner Hraby, Sophomore, Infield, Medford, Wis. (Medford)
UW-Stevens Point, Tino Ramirez, Senior, Infield, Muskego, Wis. (Muskego)
UW-Stout, Mike Pustelnik, Senior, Firstbase, Tinley Park, Ill. (Tinley Park Andrew)
UW-Whitewater, Brady Gilroy, Freshman, Outfield, Elgin, Ill. (Burling Central)
Pitcher
Owen Deprez, Senior (New Franken, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco), Pitcher of UW-La Crosse
Deprez helped the Eagles go 4-0 in their weekend series with UW-River Falls. He made the start on the mound in game four of the weekend as he went 8.0 innings and did not allow a run or a walk, while striking out 12 Falcons. He allowed just five hits on the day, including just one extra base hit. Deprez was part of a pitching staff that recorded three shutouts on the weekend and compiled 45 strikeouts.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Evan Fischer, Sophomore, Pitcher, White Bear Lake, Minn. (Roseville)
UW-Oshkosh, Connor Walters, Senior, Pitcher, Libertyville, Ill. (Libertyville)
UW-Platteville, Isaac Bixby, Graduate Student, Pitcher, Gleason, Wis. (Rhinelander)
UW-Stout, Luke Carrier, Sophomore, Pitcher, Chatfield, Minn. (Chatfield)
UW-Whitewater, Benjy Tucker, Junior, Pitcher, Alpharetta, Ga. (Mount Pisgah)
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Offense
Charlotte Iler, Junior (Simsbury, Conn./Deerfield Academy), Attack of Colorado College
Iler led the No. 25-ranked Tigers to a 2-0 weekend to start WIAC play. She led the team with a combined 11 points (7 goals, 4 assists) off 13 shots on goal. Iler scored three goals and gathered an assist against College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) on March 27, then followed it up with four goals and three assists at Hamline University (Minn.) on March 28. She also surpassed 200 career points over the weekend.
Also nominated:
College of Saint Benedict, Sami Hackley, Senior, Plymouth, Minn. (Plymouth)
UW-Eau Claire, Reegan Werner, Senior, Midfield, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)
UW-La Crosse, Ava Schiltz, Senior, Midfield, Prior Lake, Minn. (Prior Lake)
UW-River Falls, Samantha Hayek, Senior, Attack, Scandia, Minn. (Forest Lake)
UW-Stout, Megan Palmer, Junior, Midfield, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater)
Defense
Sofia Nicklaus, Freshman (Santa Cruz, Calif./Scotts Valley), Midfield of Colorado College
Niklaus led the Tigers defensively with eight caused turnovers against College of Saint Benedict (Minn.) and Hamline University (Minn.). On March 27, she caused three turnovers against the Bennies and had three draw controls. On March 28, she had a career-high five caused turnovers and gathered three ground balls. Offensively, Niklaus had a career-high three goals in each game and totaled seven points.
Also nominated:
College of Saint Benedict, Ashley Fischer, Freshman, Madison Lake, Minn. (Mankato East)
UW-Eau Claire, Annie Goulet, Freshman, Defense, Stillwater, Minn. (Stillwater)
UW-La Crosse, Gretchen McCann, Senior, Defense, Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake)
UW-River Falls, Morgan Leick, Sophomore, Defense, Cottage Grove, Minn. (Park)
SOFTBALL
Position
Claire Beck, Senior (Jefferson, Wis./Jefferson), Utility of UW-Eau Claire
Beck helped the Blugold offense to four wins during the week, where UW-Eau Claire scored 5+ runs against their opponents. Between the four games against UW-Superior and St. Catherine University (Minn.), Beck went 7-for-12 from the plate with five singles, a double, and a home run. Beck’s 8 RBIs on the week moved her to second overall in the WIAC for runs batted in with 31 on the season. While she slugged at a .917 rate, Beck posted a .643 on-base percentage that included two game-winning runs.
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Olivia Ullman, Sophomore, Utility, Denmark, Wis. (Denmark)
UW-Platteville, Melissa Dietz, Senior, Thirdbase, Reedsburg, Wis. (Reedsburg)
UW-River Falls, Ella Stuber, Freshman, Utility, Shawano, Wis. (Shawano)
UW-Stevens Point, Ashley Zygowski, Senior, Designated Hitter, Saukville, Wis. (Port Washington)
UW-Stout, Payton Dolecki, Senior, Centerfield, Schaumburg, Ill. (Schaumburg)
UW-Whitewater, Rachel Radish, Freshman, Merton, Wis. (Harland Arrowhead)
Pitcher
Kiran Sanford, Freshman (Two Rivers, Wis./Mishicot), of UW-Oshkosh
Sanford went 4-0 in five starts in the circle for the Titans during the week, averaging a 2.10 ERA across 23.1 innings of work. She struck out 25 batters against a single walk and scattered 24 hits – five for extra bases – for eight runs (seven earned). Sanford recorded at least four strikeouts in each contest, including six against Augustana College (Ill.) in Florida on March 23, and Wartburg College (Iowa) in Illinois on March 29, while throwing all seven innings of UW-Oshkosh’s win over Wartburg.
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Claire Beck, Senior, Pitcher, Jefferson, Wis. (Jefferson)
UW-La Crosse, Carmen Follette, Junior, Pitcher, Dousman, Wis. (Kettle Moraine)
UW-River Falls, Hailey Kincaid, Freshman, Pitcher, Louisville, Ky. (DuPont Manual)
UW-Stevens Point, Ashley Zygowski, Senior, Pitcher, Saukville, Wis. (Port Washington)
UW-Stout, Jennalyn Mallmann, Senior, Pitcher, New Berlin, Wis. (New Berlin West)
UW-Whitewater, Madi DeBennette, Junior, Pitcher, Wadsworth, Ill. (Carmel Catholic)
MEN’S TENNIS
West Division – Singles
Theo Billson, Junior (Lindfield, England/BHASVIC), of UW-Whitewater
Billson went 3-0 in the Warhawks’ No. 1 singles position over their spring break trip to Hilton Head, S.C. He started the week with a three-set win over Carleton’s No.1 singles, then followed up with a 6-2, 6-2 victory against Augustana’s Diaz. Billson finished the week with another three-set win, overcoming a 4-6 first set to finish the week 3-0.
Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Ben Temple, Sophomore, Rockford, Ill. (Rockford Lutheran)
West Division – Doubles
Theo Billson, Junior (Lindfield, England/BHASVIC) & Carter Michaels, Freshman (Inver Grove Heights, Minn. /Eagan), of UW-Whitewater
Billson and Michaels went 2-1 as a pair in the Warhawks’ No. 1 doubles spot during their spring break trip to Hilton Head, S.C. They started their trip with a close tiebreaker loss to Carleton’s Garapati & Rivkin, 6(6)-7. The duo bounced back with two straight wins against Augustana’s and DePauw’s top doubles teams. A 6-3 win over the Vikings’ Marcelo Escribano & Garcia Acebo then a tiebreaker 7-6(8) win over the Tigers’ Cramer & Buelte.
Also nominated:
UW-Stevens Point, Ayden Knuth, Sophomore (Manitowoc, Wis./Manitowoc Lincoln) & Augie Nelson, Freshman, Sleepy Hollow, Ill. (Jacobs)
MEN’S TENNIS
East Division – Singles
Alberto Thomas, Senior (Saint-Louis, France/CNED), of The College of New Jersey
Thomas went 2-0 at No. 1 singles during the week, including a dominating straight-sets win over the top player from No. 37-ranked Skidmore College (N.Y.)
Also nominated:
Rutgers University-Camden, Max Cabida, Freshman, Marlton, N.J. (Cherokee)
East Division – Doubles
Harrison Maitland-Carter, Senior (Toronto, Ontario/Saddlebrook Prep – Fla.) & Asa Wong, Senior (Johns Creek, Ga./William & Reed Academy), of The College of New Jersey
Maitland-Carter and Wong celebrated Senior Day on March 29, with a pair of dominating wins at No. 1 doubles against Farmingdale State (N.Y.) and Muhlenberg College (Pa.). Earlier in the weekend, they took the top pairing from nationally ranked Skidmore College (N.Y.) to a tiebreaker.
Also nominated:
No other individuals were nominated.
MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Track
Logan Murphy, Junior (Sheboygan Falls, Wis./Sheboygan Falls), of UW-Stevens Point
Murphy finished sixth in the 10,000-meter run at the WashU Distance Carnival with a personal best and school record time of 29:26.25. He has the top time in the conference and is sixth nationally.
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Cameron Cullen, Senior, Kewaunee, Wis. (Kewaunee)
UW-River Falls, Jacob Balcome, Junior, Alexandria, Minn. (Alexandria)
UW-Whitewater, Dan Anderson, Senior, Eau Claire, Wis. (Chippewa Falls McDonell)
Field
Jorden Ukpong, Sophomore (Kronenwetter, Wis./D.C. Everest), of UW-Stevens Point
Ukpong placed second in the shot put at the St. Norbert College (Wis.) Early Bird on March 28, with a mark of 15.81 meters. His mark ranks him first in the conference and 18th in NCAA Division III.
Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Ryan Pidgeon, Sophomore, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln)
UW-Whitewater, Landon Scray, Freshman, Hartland, Wis. (Hartland Arrowhead)
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Track
Julia Zalewski, Sophomore (Lino Lakes, Minn./Centennial), of UW-La Crosse
Zalewski placed fourth (10:50.10) out of 50 runners in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the WashU (Mo.) Distance Carnival on March 26. Her time ranks first on the NCAA Division III Honor Roll.
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Julia Zalewski, Sophomore, Lino Lakes, Minn. (Centennial)
UW-River Falls, Finley Noll, Junior, Alma, Wis. (Alma-Pepin)
UW-Whitewater, Kelly Huerta, Sophomore, McHenry, Ill. (McHenry)
Field
Madeline Zirbel, Senior (De Pere, Wis./De Pere), of UW-Stevens Point
Zirbel won the high jump at the St. Norbert Early Bird on March 28 with a leap of 1.61 meters. Her jump ranks first in the conference and 22nd in NCAA Division III.
Also nominated:
UW-River Falls, Maleah Petersen, Junior, Ellsworth, Wis. (Ellsworth)
UW-Whitewater, Caitlin Zingsheim, Sophomore, Milton, Wis. (Milton)
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