­­North Coast Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week – Week of March 26, 2024
 
Baseball Player of the Week – David Curtin, Oberlin
Oberlin junior infielder David Curtin (Silver Spring, MD/Albert Einstein) led the Yeomen to a 3-1 week, batting .500 (9-for-18) while slugging .833. Six of Curtin’s nine hits went for doubles as the junior collected 15 total bases, five RBI, four runs, two sacrifice flies and went 3-for-3 on stolen base attempts. The third baseman had at least two hits in each of the four games, including a three-hit, three-RBI effort in Oberlin’s 11-inning 19-12 win over Capital.
 
Baseball Pitcher of the Week – Pearse Riendeau, DePauw
DePauw sophomore Pearse Riendeau (Richmond, VA/Collegiate) started the Tigers’ first game of spring break and earned a 14-0 win over Williams. In six innings of work, Riendeau allowed just three singles, no walks and struck out seven, two of which were caught looking.
 
Men's Golf Athlete of the Week – Jonathan Oakes, Kenyon
Kenyon first-year Jonathan Oakes (Dobbs Ferry, NY/US Performance Academy) led the Owls at the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational on the par-71 King and Prince Golf Course this past weekend. Oakes turned in the team's best overall score of 219 (73, 71, 75) to tie for 15th out of 150 golfers. Kenyon landed in a four-way tie for 11th out of 30 teams.
 
Women's Golf Athlete of the Week – Becky Williams, DePauw
DePauw sophomore Becky Williams (Zionsville, IN/University High School of Indiana) led the Tigers at the Jekyll Island Collegiate, as the team placed sixth out of 18. Williams shot a 74 (+2) in round one, a 75 (+3) in round two and a 78 (+6) in round three for a 227 (+11) to finish in a three-player tie for second out of 102 total golfers. The sophomore was second in the field with 37 pars.
 
Men’s Lacrosse Offensive Athlete of the Week – Luke Fisher, Denison
Denison senior attacker Luke Fisher (Alexandria, VA/St. Stephens & St. Agnes) led the Big Red to a 2-0 week after recording 12 goals and four assists for a total of 16 points. In a 9-4 win over John Carroll on Wednesday, Fisher had four goals, two assists and one ground ball. The senior then lifted Denison to a 20-10 win over Kenyon to open conference play. Against the Owls, Fisher netted eight goals with 12-of-13 shots on goal and added two assists, three ground balls and one caused turnover.
 
Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Athlete of the Week – Casey Steffen, Wooster
Wooster senior defender Casey Steffen (Danville, CA/Monte Vista) led the Scots to a 2-0 week, with wins over Allegheny (11-9) and DePauw (17-10). Steffen paced the defense with six caused turnovers, 10 ground balls, and one assist for the week. The defender is currently tied for second nationally in caused turnovers per game (4.0) and leads the NCAC.
 
Women’s Lacrosse Offensive Athlete of the Week – Nicole Klabus, Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan senior attacker Nicole Klabus (Delaware, OH/Hayes) propelled the Battling Bishops to a 15-11 win over Otterbein on Wednesday. Against the Cardinals, Klabus netted a team-high five goals with six of her seven shots on target. During the first quarter after Otterbein scored to bring the Cardinals within one, Klabus answered with a goal less than a minute later and then in the final minute of the period, she added two goals within 27 seconds of each other to extend the Bishop lead to 5-1. In the fourth quarter after Otterbein had closed within two scores (12-10), the senior netted a goal with 6:18 to play and then added another goal to increase the Bishop lead to 15-10 in what eventually became a 15-11 win.
 
Women’s Lacrosse Defensive Athlete of the Week – DePauw, Bridget Driscoll
DePauw junior midfielder Bridget Driscoll (New Albany, OH/New Albany) finished the week with 20 draw controls, 13 ground balls, and 10 caused turnovers as the Tigers went 1-1 in non-conference play. In a 26-0 win over Spalding, Driscoll collected 12 draw controls, eight ground balls, and six caused turnovers. In a tough 20-14 loss to Hope, the junior recorded eight draw controls, five ground balls, and four caused turnovers. 
 
Softball Player of the Week – Emily Timberman, DePauw
DePauw senior Emily Timberman (Fishers, IN/Cathedral) guided the Tigers to a doubleheader split against No. 23 Lynchburg. In 9-7 game-one win, Timberman went a perfect 4-for-4, recording two home runs and four RBI. After slugging 2.500 in game one, the Hornets intentionally walked Timberman twice, ultimately resulting in a 3-0 loss for the Tigers.
 
Softball Pitcher of the Week – Brooke Surbaugh, Denison
Denison sophomore Brooke Surbaugh (San Bruno, CA/ St. Ignatius) pitched a complete game, allowing just four hits, one unearned run, and zero walks while striking out 10 batters in a 6-1 win over Allegheny on Sunday. Surbaugh struck out 3-of-3 batters faced in the second, third, fifth, and sixth innings. With the bases loaded and just one out in the top of the fourth inning, Surbaugh delivered back-to-back swinging strikeouts to keep it a one-run game which allowed Denison to come back and take the lead in the next inning.
 
Men’s Tennis Athlete of the Week – Ethan Libby, Wittenberg
Wittenberg junior Ethan Libby (Loveland, OH)/Loveland) went 2-0 in the Tigers’ tough 5-3 loss at Anderson (IN) on Sunday. At the No. 1 singles flight, Libby won 6-4, 7-5 and when paired with senior Kyle Fout (Gahanna, OH/Gahanna Lincoln) at the top doubles flight, the duo collected an 8-6 win.
 
Women’s Tennis Athlete of the Week – Anna Pastore, Oberlin
Oberlin junior Anna Pastore (Rockville, VA/The Steward School) did not surrender a game in the Yeowomen's 5-2 win over Division II Ursuline College. Pastore and sophomore Moe Ariyoshi (Tokyo, Japan/Shibuya Makuhari School) blanked their opponent 6-0 at the No. 2 doubles flight. The junior then collected a 6-0, 6-0 win at the top singles flight to go 2-0 in the match. Pastore has won two-straight singles matches, running her career mark to 23-16.
 
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Sprints/Hurdles – Ari Skolnik, Denison
Denison junior Ari Skolnik (Glencoe, IL/NewTrier Township) and the Big Red competed at the Dr. Jack M. Tomas Alumni Invitational last week. Skolnik recorded personal best times in the 110-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash. In the 110-meter hurdles, the junior crossed the finish line in 14.72 seconds to claim the fourth best finish in program history, the top spot in conference standings, and rank sixth among all Division III competitors this season. Skolnik then reset his personal best in the 200-meter dash with a time of 23.31 seconds. 
 
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Mid/Distance – Lucas Weaver, Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan first-year Lucas Weaver (Galion, OH/Northmor) and the Battling Bishops traveled to Lynchburg, Virginia to compete in the Dr. Jack M. Tomas Alumni Invitational last week. Weaver finished fifth with at time of 4:05.43. The first-year now ranks first among conference opponents in the event.
 
Men's Outdoor Track & Field: Field – Chris Slater, Denison
Denison junior Chris Slater (Hudson, OH/Hudson) finished fourth among 52 competitors in the shot put at the Dr. Jack M Thomas Alumni Invitational last week. At the meet, Slater set a new personal best with a toss of 15.63 meters. The junior currently ranks second in program history, first in league standings, and sits in sixth nationally.
 
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Sprints/Hurdles – Zora Shakhan, Wittenberg
Wittenberg junior Zora Shakhan (Pickerington, OH/Central) won the 100-meter dash and was a part of the first-place 4x100 relay that finished in 49.47 seconds at the Transylvania Pioneer Invite last week. In the 100-meter dash, Shakhan crossed the finish line in 12.50 seconds and currently ranks first in the NCAC.
 
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Mid/Distance – Zoe Ward, Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan first-year Zoe Ward (Columbus, OH/Worthington Christian) placed second in the 5,000 meters at the Dr. Jack M. Tomas Alumni Invitational last week. Ward crossed the finish line in 17:53.52, which tops the NCAC standings.
 
Women's Outdoor Track & Field: Field – Aidan Orth, Wittenberg
Wittenberg sophomore Aidan Orth (Cincinnati, OH/Anderson) recorded two second place finishes at the Transylvania Pioneer Invite last week. In the hammer throw, Orth set a new personal best after recording a toss of 41.67 meters. The sophomore then went on to throw a conference-leading mark of 37.49 meters in the discus.
 
NCAC Milestones & Records (March 18 – 24)
 
Denison, Men’s Golf – Junior Andrew Gallagher (Grimesland, NC/D.H. Conley) shot a two-under 69 during round two on Saturday at the Jekyll Island Collegiate Invitational which tied his best tournament score to par. Gallagher finished in a tie for 27th after shooting plus-seven during round three and finishing plus-eight overall (74, 69, 78; 221).
 
Denison, Women’s Lacrosse – Senior Josie Lucchesi (Villanova, PA/Radnor) matched her career-high in goals (5) and points (7) in the Big Red’s 22-9 win over Capital on Wednesday.
 
Denison, Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – Senior Will Cunningham (Seattle, WA/Roosevelt) recorded a career best in the 800-meter run at the Dr. Jack M Tomas Alumni Invitational, crossing the line in 1:59.97 to place 31st in the event.
 
Denison, Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – Senior Sophia Ellerkmann (Baltimore, MD/Roland Park Country School) ran a career best in the 400-meter dash last week at the Dr. Jack M Tomas Alumni event, finishing second in 57.31 seconds. Ellerkmann currently ranks first in the NCAC and sits in sixth nationally … Senior Cara Bodary (New Boston, MI/Father Gabriel Richard) recorded personal records in the 800-meter run (2:5.19) and the 1,500-meter run (4:56.00) last week. In conference standings, the senior is ranked second in the 1,500 and fifth in the 800 … Senior Kylee Silverman (Princeton, NJ/Princeton) set a personal record in the shot put after recording a toss of 11.69 meters.
 
Hiram, Baseball – Sophomore third baseman Matthew Trimble (Twinsburg, OH/Trinity) tied his career-high five RBI in game one of a double header against St. Vincent on Sunday.
 
Kenyon, Women’s Lacrosse – Junior Blythe Karras (Lake Forest, IL/Lake Forest) led the Owls offensively in a 19-5 win over Mount Union on Tuesday, netting a season-high two goals and tied her career high in assists (4) and points (6).
 
Ohio Wesleyan, Softball – Senior Sophia Cegledy (Pataskala, OH/Bishop Hartley) tied the program record after going 3-for-3 with three doubles in game one of a doubleheader against Centre. This record has been accomplished four times previously, most recently in 2014.
 
Wabash, Baseball – Sophomore pitcher Dylan Haslett (Indianapolis, IN/Cathedral) recorded a career-high eight strikeouts against 16 batters faced in the Little Giant’s hard-fought 6-5 loss to Illinois Wesleyan on Saturday.
 
Wabash, Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – Senior Joe Barnett (Westfield, IN/Westfield) turned in a career-best finish in the 5,000-meter run Friday at the Indiana Wesleyan Polar Bear Invitational, crossing the line in 15:06.61 to place ninth out of 90 runners and post the second-fastest time by a conference runner this season.
 
Wittenberg, Softball – Sophomore Lilly James (Troy, OH/Troy) earned her seventh career save after pitching 1.1 scoreless inning against Earlham, breaking the program’s all-time career saves record of six, set by Sarah Waugh (1994-97).
 
Wooster, Women’s Golf – Junior Ally Siewert (Northfield, OH/Nordonia) collected her second medalist honor after carding the winning score of 80 at Sunday's Mount Union Spring Invitational. Siewert led the Fighting Scots to their program-record fifth tournament win this academic year and third-straight tournament win dating back to the fall. Siewert has been on a dominant run of late with five top-three finishes over Wooster's last six tournaments including a quartet of top-two showings.
 
Wooster, Men’s Lacrosse – Senior Vinny DiLeo (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) became the fourth player in program history and first since 1993 to surpass 200 career points. The attacker scored four goals and passed out three assists in Saturday's NCAC-opening 17-10 win over DePauw. DiLeo also moved into the top-five all-time in program history in assists in the win and enters the week four shy of 100 career assists.