­­North Coast Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week – Week of Dec. 5, 2023
 
Offensive Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Trey Killens, Wittenberg
Wittenberg junior Trey Killens (Cincinnati, OH/Mason) guided the Tigers to a 2-0 start in league play, defeating Oberlin (76-74) and Ohio Wesleyan (85-80, OT). Despite a slow start against the Yeomen, Killens sank the game-winning shot with two seconds remaining in regulation. Additionally, the guard scored a career-high 39 points in the Tigers’ win over the Battling Bishops. During overtime, Killens scored 13 of Wittenberg’s 16 points to help secure the five-point victory. On the week, the Cincinnati, Ohio native recorded 49 points, seven rebounds, and four assists to go along with one steal and one block.
 
Defensive Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Cameron Smith, Denison
Denison junior Cameron Smith (Cleveland, OH/University School) helped the Big Red start league play with an unblemished 2-0 record after defeating Hiram (82-63) and Wooster (91-75). Against the Fighting Scots, Smith tallied four steals and one block in the final 10:15 of the game while also holding his defensive assignments to three field goals, while also forcing two turnovers. On the week, the junior recorded seven rebounds, four of which came from the defensive end, five steals, and one blocked shot.
 
Offensive Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Ella Biondi, Wooster
Wooster sophomore Ella Biondi (Mentor, OH/Mentor) led the Fighting Scots with a career-high 36 points, to go along with 11 rebounds in a 111-100 double overtime win over Miami-Hamilton on Friday. It is the fifth most points scored by an individual in Wooster history, and Biondi’s 16 field goals ties for a program best. The forward shot 16-of-30 from the floor and went 4-of-7 from the foul line. The 111 points established a program record, while the 211 combined points in the game are an NCAC record.
 
Defensive Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Brooke Toigo, Denison
Denison sophomore Brooke Toigo (Ada, MI/Forest Hills Eastern) was a lockdown defender for the Big Red in a tough loss to Capital (77-64) and hard-fought win against Carnegie Mellon (80-73). Against the Comets, Toigo held her defensive assignment to 1-for-5 shooting behind the arc,and also forced three turnovers, and collected two steals. Additionally, Denison held the Tartans to just four fast-break points with Toigo’s transition defense making a big impact in that outcome.
 
Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week – Lucas Conrads, Denison
Denison junior Lucas Conrads (Naperville, IL/Waubonsie Valley) recorded "B" cut times in three different individual events and added a “B” cut in a relay at the Denison Invitational. Conrads earned first place and Denison's top invitational performance, touching the wall in 15:31.56 in the 1650 freestyle. The junior had a pair of third-place finishes in the 400 individual medley (3:55.53) and the 500 free (4:29.99). Conrads also swam the first leg of Denison's fourth-place team in the 800 free relay that finished in 6:40.85.
 
Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week – Quinn Brown, Denison
Denison sophomore Quinn Brown (Portland, OR/Grant) set a "B" cut in three individual events and a relay, helping the No. 2 Big Red win the Denison Invitational in a field that included the No. 1-ranked team in Division III (Emory) and the No. 3-ranked team in Division II (Indianapolis). Brown won the 1650 freestyle (16:49.01), was third in the 500 free (4:53.84), and was fourth in the 200 free (1:50.84). Brown also swam the third leg in Denison's dominant win in the 800 free relay (7:24.46).
 
Men’s Indoor Track Sprints/Hurdles Athlete of the Week – Malik Holley, Denison
Denison sophomore Malik Holley (Homerville, OH/Black River) highlighted the Big Red’s performance at Wittenberg’s Tiger Opener with a win and a school record in the 300 meter dash. The Homerville, Ohio native claimed first out of 11 competitors that featured several NCAC student athletes. Holley crossed the finish line in 35.39 seconds which broke the previous school record of 36.22 seconds set by Hogan Winn in 1999.
 
Men’s Indoor Track Distance/Mid-Distance Athlete of the Week – Ian McCandlish, Wittenberg
Wittenberg senior Ian McCandlish (Lancaster, OH/St. Francis DeSales) won the 800 meter run in a time of 1:53.49 to best several NCAC competitors. McCandlish currently ranks first nationally in the 800 meter run. Additionally, the senior was a part of the third-place 4x400 relay team that finished in a time of 3:21.97.
 
Men’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week – Jacob Brown, Denison
Denison senior Jacob Brown (Dover, MA/Dover-Sherborn) finished in first place in the heptathlon at the Oiler Opener hosted by Findlay with a new program record of 4,796 points. The senior recorded the heptathlon win after a first-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles (8.79), second-place finishes in the 1,000 meter run (2:57.10) and the high jump (1.88 meters) and third-place honors in the 60 meter dash (7.36 seconds), the long jump (6.42 meters), the shot put (12.13 meters), and the pole vault (3.80 meters). Additionally, Brown set new personal records in the 60 meter dash, high jump and the 60 meter hurdles. Brown broke his own school record of 4,669 points set at the 2023 NCAC Combined Events Championship last season.
 
Women’s Indoor Track Sprints/Hurdles Athlete of the Week – Meghan Frazier, Wittenberg
Wittenberg junior Meghan Frazier (Alliance, OH/Alliance) finished second in the 400 meter dash with a time of 57.69, which broke the previous program record set in 2003 by Kristen Mumper (58.6). Frazier’s time currently ranks second nationally. The junior was also a member of the 4x400 relay that finished third in a time of 4:02.06.
 
Women’s Indoor Track Distance/Mid-Distance Athlete of the Week – Ella Webster, Wittenberg
Wittenberg sophomore Ella Webster (Van Buren, OH/Van Buren) competed at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener at Boston University on Saturday. Webster was the third highest Division III finisher in the 3,000 meter run, crossing the line in 9:53.56. Her time broke the program record set in 2022 by Corin Turkovich (East Liverpool, OH/Beaver Local) (10:40.13) and currently ranks third nationally.
 
Women’s Indoor Field Athlete of the Week – Abby Cannon, Oberlin
Oberlin’s Abby Cannon (Bloomington, IN/Loomis Chaffe School) began her senior campaign by winning the weight throw at the Case Western Reserve Spartan Invitational. Cannon's heave of 15.97 meters bested 26 other competitors in the event.
 
NCAC Milestones & Records (Nov. 20 – Nov. 26)
 
Denison, Women’s Track & Field – Sophomore sprinter Emily Brennan (Stittsville, Ontario/Sacred Heart) recorded a personal record and a top-10 finish in two events with a seventh-place finish in the 400 meter dash (1:00.72) and a ninth-place mark in the long jump (5.02 meters) as Denison opened its 2023-24 indoor season at Wittenberg’s Tiger Opener. Brennan's time in the 400 is ranked sixth on Denison's top-10 list while her mark in the long jump is ranked third.
 
DePauw, Men’s Track & Field – Senior sprinter/hurdler Daniel Jansen (Okawville, IL/Okawville) claimed a third-place finish in the 60 meter hurdles at the Scott Fangman Invitational, hosted by the Indianapolis. Jansen's time of 8.53 seconds is a new school record, which was previously held by George Macy in 2015 (8.61).
 
Kenyon, Men’s Track & Field – Junior sprinter Tapiwa Gono Phiri (Ndola, Zambia/Hillcrest National Tech.) kicked off his season with a record-breaking showing in the 60 meter dash at the Wittenberg Tiger Opener. Gono Phiri recorded a time of 6.99 seconds, taking seventh place and breaking his previous Kenyon indoor record of 7.02 seconds, which he set twice over the last two years … Senior thrower Riley Orth (Cincinnati, OH/Anderson) led the Owls at the Tiger Opener, winning and setting a program record, in the shot put. Among 43 other throwers, Orth topped the group with a throw of 15.73 meters, breaking his own program record set in February 2022.
 
Oberlin, Men’s Track & Field – At the Case Western Reserve Spartan Holiday Classic, sophomore Treyce Wood (Homerville, OH/Black River) turned in a personal-best time of 1:59.84 in the 800 meter run to place second overall in the event out of six other runners. Additionally, senior thrower Isaiah Schuham-Anders (Washington, D.C./Georgetown Day School) turned in a pair of career-best performances, placing second out of 22 competitors in the weight throw (15.40m) and seventh out of 27 athletes in the shot put (12.63m).
 
Oberlin, Women’s Track & Field – Sophomore sprinter Ryley Stegall (Oberlin, OH/Oberlin) bested the field of eight in the 60 meter dash with a career-best time of 8.05. The Oberlin native also topped 23 other runners in the 200 meter dash with a winning time of 27.29 and turned in another person best in the long jump (4.48m).
 
Wittenberg, Men’s Swim & Dive – At the Wooster Invitational, sophomore Mason Steen (Leroy, OH/Riverside) dropped more than five seconds from his season-best time of 1:00.42 during the prelim of the 100 breaststroke.
 
Wittenberg, Women’s Swim & Dive – First-year Sophie Paskiet (Toledo, OH/St. Ursula) rounded out a strong weekend at the Wooster Invitational with a personal-best time in the 200 breaststroke of 2:27.88, claiming the sixth-best time in program history. Additionally, Paskiet competed in the 100 breast and finished with a time of 1:08.37 for sixth place and the eighth all-time mark in program history.
 
Wittenberg, Men’s Track & Field – At Wittenberg's Tiger Opener, sophomore sprinter/jumper Grayson Ring (Tipp City, OH/Tippecanoe) ran a personal best time of 22.27 in the 200 meters. Ring’s performance was good for a third-place finish and currently ranks 11th nationally.
 
Wooster, Women’s Basketball – The Fighting Scots shattered their program record with 111 points in Friday's 111-100 double overtime win over Miami-Hamilton. The program's previous high mark for points was 96 in a 2019 win over Mount St. Joseph (96-72). Wooster's 111 points came up one shy of matching the NCAC's single-game record, while the 211 combined points is a conference mark.
 
Wooster Men’s Swimming & Diving – Junior Tucker Andrewjeski (Henderson, NV/Green Valley) broke the program's eight-year-old school record in the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:06.73 at the Wooster Invitational. Andrewjeski was slightly faster in finals, lowering the record time to 2:06.48. Senior Josh Pearson (Cincinnati, OH/Indian Hill ) broke the year-old 100 individual medley school record with a time of 52.37 at the Wooster Invitational.