North Coast Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week | Oct. 8, 2024
 
Men's Cross Country Athlete of the Week – Jonah Barber, Oberlin
Oberlin senior Jonah Barber (Tucson, AZ/University High School) led the Yeomen to a fifth place finish out of 22 teams at the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational on Friday. The senior finished the 8,000-meter course in 25:48.8 to place second overall and first in the Division III slate, marking his best finish in any cross country race of his career. Barber led the field of 246 runners through the first 4,800 meters before a sprint to the finish landed the Obie in second place.
 
Women's Cross Country Athlete of the Week – Zoe Ward, Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan sophomore Zoe Ward (Columbus, OH/Worthington Christian) propelled the Battling Bishops to a team title at the OWU Invitational on Friday after she placed third among 176 individuals. The sophomore completed the 6,000-meter course in 22:21.7, only finishing behind athletes from Division II's Ashland and Findlay. With the team victory, Ohio Wesleyan has won its third meet in a season for the first time since 1992.
 
Field Hockey Athlete of the Week – Alexandra May, DePauw
DePauw senior Alexandra May (Denver, CO/St. Mary's Academy) scored two crucial goals in the Tigers 3-2 victory over Kenyon to remain undefeated in NCAC play. After a scoreless first half, May scored the first goal at the 31:38 mark to put DePauw up by one. Two quick goals by the Owls would put the Tigers behind, but May found the back of Kenyon's cage once again to tie the game at 2-2 in the eventual 3-2 win.
 
Football Offensive Athlete of the Week – Trey Fabrocini, Denison
Denison fifth-year Trey Fabrocini (Lancaster, OH/Fisher Catholic) rushed for three touchdowns and 104 yards on the ground in the Big Red's 30-20 win at Wittenberg on Saturday. The fifth-year opened the scoring with a one-yard touchdown run, putting Denison ahead 6-0 in the first quarter. Fabrocini later added a three-yard touchdown rush to extend the Big Red's lead to 20-3 in the second quarter. With 3:55 remaining in the game, the Lancaster, Ohio, native punched his way into the endzone for Denison's last score of the game. In the win, Fabrochini surpassed 100 rushing yards for the fourth-straight game.
 
Football Defensive Athlete of the Week – Luke Caress, Kenyon
Kenyon senior Luke Caress (Santa Ana, CA/Foothill) and his defensive efforts guided the Owl's to a 34-0 shutout victory over Oberlin to move to 3-2 overall and 2-1 in NCAC play. The senior was a constant pressure in Oberlin's backfield, tallying 3.5 tackles for a loss of 19 yards which included two sacks for a loss of 14 yards. Additionally, Caress added one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry to his stat sheet in the win.
 
Men's Golf Athlete of the Week – Andrew Gallagher, Denison
Denison senior Andrew Gallagher (Grimesland, NC/D.H. Conley) earned medalist honors with a five-under 67 during the stroke play portion of the Dan Quayle Match Play tournament hosted by DePauw at the Otter Creek Golf Course. The senior finished with five birdies and an eagle during the round, which tied for the third-lowest round by a Denison golfer in program history. While playing for seeding for the match play portion of the tournament, the Big Red turned in one of the best rounds in program history with a four-under 284 to earn the tournament's top seed. Gallagher went on to pick up a victory in the match play finals against Wittenberg, helping Denison earn first place as a team via tiebreakers.
 
Women's Golf Athlete of the Week – Becky Williams, DePauw
DePauw junior Becky Williams (Zionsville, IN/University High School of Indiana) earned medalist honors during the stroke play portion of the Dan Quayle Match Play tournament after she shot a 65 (-7). The junior's seven-under score was the lowest under-par round in program history, beating her previous six-under 64 from last spring. DePauw went on to win the match play portion of the tournament. At the John Carrol Invitational, Williams shot a 145 (74-71) to top the 63-player field by six strokes. DePauw tied NCAA Division II's Ashland, but the Tigers were declared the team champion via tiebreakers.
 
Men's Soccer Athlete of the Week – Max Wiley, Wooster
Wooster senior Max Wiley (Cary, NC/Panther Creek) recorded a goal and an assist in Wooster's 3-2 win over Oberlin on Saturday to open NCAC play 1-0. The senior assisted on the game's first goal just 1:45 into the contest. Down by one, Wiley tied the game at 2-2 in the 33rd minute on a strike that came assisted by Ioannis Aristodemou (Nicosia, Cyprus/Grammar School of Nicosia).
 
Women's Soccer Athlete of the Week – Avery Butler, Denison
Denison junior Avery Butler (Highland Park, IL/Highland Park) played a role in a pair of wins for the Big Red over Wilmington (1-0) and Wittenberg (2-1). Against the Fightin' Quakers, the junior scored the lone goal and helped the Denison defense shutout Wilmington on Wednesday. After being down 1-0 in the Big Red's conference opening game against Wittenberg, Butler scored the equalizer off an assist by Caroline Flynn (Darien, CT/Greenwich) in the 84th minute of play. Denison went on to defeat Wittenberg 2-1 and improved to 6-3-2 overall and 1-0 in NCAC play.
 
Men's Swim & Dive Athlete of the Week – Owen Pastorius, Hiram
Hiram junior Owen Pastorius (Pittsburgh, PA/North Hills) recorded a team-high three victories in the Terriers' 131-93 dual meet win over Allegheny on Saturday. The junior took the crown in the 200 freestyle (1:53.99), 200 butterfly (2:16.21), and 500 free (5:24.56). Pastorius also swam the third leg of Hiram's second place 200 medley relay that finished in 1:45.44.
 
Women's Swim & Dive Athlete of the Week – Emily Knott, DePauw
DePauw first-year Emily Knott (Noblesville, IN/Noblesville) tallied three wins in the Tigers' 170-81 dual meet win over Rose-Hulman on Thursday. The rookie recorded wins in the 100 butterfly (59.94), 100 individual medley (1:04.21), and the 200 medley relay (1:54.63).
 
Women's Volleyball Athlete of the Week – Zeynep Kaya, Oberlin
Oberlin junior Zeynep Kaya (Istanbul, Turkey/ENKA) helped the Yeowomen pick up their first league win with a 3-0 victory over Ohio Wesleyan on Friday. The junior propelled the Oberlin offense as she led the team with 16.5 points in the victory, recording 11 kills on 21 attempts for a .476 hitting percentage. Kaya added four aces, five digs, and three block assists in the win. The Istanbul, Turkey native also went error-free on 19 service receptions. In a tough 3-0 loss to Case Western on Wednesday, Kaya finished with seven kills, one block assist and one ace. On the week, Kaya hit .368 from the outside and averaged 3.00 kills, 4.16 points, and 2.00 digs per set.
 
NCAC Milestones & Records (Sept. 30 – Oct.6)
 
DePauw, Football – Junior Robby Ballentine (Crown Point, IN/Andrean) recorded two touchdowns in DePauw's 53-14 win over Ohio Wesleyan which extended his streak with at least one touchdown reception to 10 straight games … DePauw extended its regular season win streak to 19 which is the fourth longest active streak in all levels of NCAA football … The Tigers' senior class moved its four-year record to 33-6 which broke the program record for wins in a four-year span which was previously 32.
 
Kenyon, Men's Golf – Sophomore Jonathan Oaks (Dobbs Ferry, NY/US Performance Academy) carded a career-best single round and second-best single round in program history after posting a seven-under 65 in round two of the Gate City Invitational at Forest Oaks Country Club.