North Coast Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week | December 22, 2025
Men’s Basketball – Rich Brooks, Wabash
Wabash senior wing Rich Brooks (South Bend, IN/Mishawaka Marian) scored a career-high 28 points to lead the Little Giants to a 96-88 road victory at Anderson on Saturday. The senior shot 80 percent from the field, connecting on 8-of-10 attempts, including 7-of-8 from three-point range (88.0 percent), and went a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line. Brooks also added four rebounds and two assists in the win.
Women’s Basketball – Ava Ryncarz, John Carroll
John Carroll senior guard/forward Ava Ryncarz (Aurora, OH/Aurora) led the Blue Streaks to three wins last week, recording two double-doubles and averaging 20.7 points per game in victories over Saint Vincent (62-51), Williams (70-61), and Berry (73-47). She highlighted the week with a career-high 34 points and set a JCU single-game record with 10 three-pointers in the win over Berry, while also adding 11 rebounds, one assist, and one steal. Against Saint Vincent, Ryncarz finished with 16 points, two assists, one steal, and 11 defensive rebounds, while she added 12 points, two assists, and four rebounds in the win over Williams. For the week, she totaled 62 points, 26 rebounds, five assists, and two steals in three contests.
Milestones & Records (Dec. 15-21)
Denison, Women’s Basketball – The Big Red improved to 10-0 with a 62-55 win over Otterbein, marking the program’s first 10-0 start since the 2010-11 season.
DePauw, Men’s Basketball – Senior Sam Jacobs (Fishers, IN/Hamilton Southeastern) became the thirtieth player in program history to reach the 1,000-point plateau, scoring 20 points against Rose-Hulman (78-66) to push his career total to 1,015 … Junior Joe Smith (Mishawaka, IN/Penn) poured in a career-high 26 points, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and 7-of-8 from three-point range, in an 85-78 victory over Illinois College.
DePauw, Women’s Basketball – Senior Riley Mont (Aurora, IL/West Aurora) scored a career-high 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting, including 5-of-8 from three-point range, in an 80-60 win over Simpson at the Music City Classic in Nashville.
Kenyon, Men’s Basketball – Senior Nick Nelson (Richmond, VA/Steward School) posted a season-high 13 points to lead the Owls in a 60-54 victory over Earlham, while also adding three assists and two steals in the win.
John Carroll, Men’s Basketball – Senior Kasey Hunt (Sylvania, OH/Sylvania Northview) recorded a career-high 29 points, shooting 11-of-18 from the field and 4-of-8 from three-point range, in a 104-94 victory over Chatham.
Wooster, Women’s Basketball – Sophomore Mackenzie Riccitelli (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) scored a season-high 28 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three-point range in a win at Earlham, then followed with 24 points and the game-winning basket with 1.2 seconds remaining in a 68-66 road victory at Bluffton.