North Coast Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week | February 17, 2026

Men's Basketball – Zach Smith, Oberlin
Oberlin senior guard Zach Smith (Chicago, IL/University of Chicago Laboratory Schools) led the Yeomen offensively during a 1-1 conference week. Smith scored a team-high 24 points in tough 89-76 loss to John Carroll, marking his sixth 20-plus point performance of the season. He followed with 12 points in a 58-57 road win at Wittenberg, helping secure Oberlin's first road victory over the Tigers since 1999 and the program's first season sweep in the modern stat era. For the week, Smith shot 44 percent from the field (12-for-27) and averaged 18.0 points and 2.5 rebounds per game.

Women's Basketball – Ada Taute, Denison
Denison junior guard Ada Taute (Chicago, IL/St. Ignatius College Prep) powered the Big Red to a 2-0 week with conference victories over Oberlin and No. 9 John Carroll. Taute opened the week with a game-high 25 points in a 68-49 road win versus the Yeowomen, shooting 54 percent from the field (7-for-13) and recording five rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. She followed with 12 points, five assists, three steals and one block in a 57-50 home victory over the Blue Streaks. On the week, the junior shot 46 percent from the field (12-for-26), 44 percent from three-point range (4-for-9), and 75 percent from the free-throw line (9-for-12), and averaged 18.5 points, 4.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 1.0 block per game.

Men's Lacrosse - Trevor Martay, DePauw
DePauw first-year attack Trevor Martay (Winnetka, IL/New Trier) made an immediate impact in his collegiate debut, scoring six goals to lead the Tigers to a 14-3 season-opening victory over Lawrence. Martay started the scoring for the Tigers just 43 seconds into the game, which ignited a 5-0 run with 4:51 left in the first half. His six-goal performance accounted for nearly half of DePauw's offensive output, as he took nine total shots, seven of which were on goal, to finish with a .778 shots-on-goal percentage.

Men's Tennis - Dash Smith, Oberlin
Oberlin first-year Dash Smith (Chicago, IL/Chicago Laboratory School) turned in a standout week for the Yeomen, posting a perfect 3-0 record in singles play while competing at the No. 2 and 3 flights. Smith opened the week with an identical straight-set victory at No. 3 singles, earning a 6-4, 6-4 win in a 4-3 team victory over Rhodes. In a tough 5-2 loss to Lake Forest, he recorded a resilient three-set comeback (4-6, 6-0, 1-0 (10-5)) at No. 3 before closing the week by clinching Oberlin's 5-2 home win over Rochester with a gritty 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 triumph at No. 2.

Women's Tennis - Eva Lopez, Oberlin
Oberlin sophomore Eva Lopez (Bentonville, AR/Bentonville West) opened the 2026 season in dominant fashion, recording a win in both doubles and singles to lead the Yeowomen to a 4-3 victory over Rochester. Paired with classmate Scarlett Kingston (Bayport, NY/Bayport-Blue Point) at the top doubles flight, the duo posted a 6-4 win, before Lopez earned a 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) at No. 4 singles.

Men's Sprints/Hurdles – Conner Grimes, Wabash
Wabash senior Conner Grimes (French Lick, IN/Springs Valley) broke two program records at the DePauw Invitational, setting new program standards in the 60- and 200-meter dashes to help the Little Giants win the team title in a 12-team field. Grimes clocked 6.91 in the 60 finals to place second overall and surpass Will Newby's previous school record of 6.92 (2022), then he returned to win the 200 in 21.90 to break Jose Franco's former mark of 22.33 (2022). Both marks are the fastest among NCAC sprinters this season, and his 6.91 is tied for 14th in Division III.

Men's Mid/Distance – Sam Su, John Carroll
John Carroll sophomore Sam Su (Akron, OH/Woodridge) posted a personal-best 4:08.55 in the mile at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invite, placing 115th out of 297 competitors in a field made up primarily of Division I programs. Su's time ranks first in the NCAC this season, sits 22nd in Division III, and stands as the second-fastest mile in John Carroll program history.

Men's Field – Namu Makatiani, Oberlin
Oberlin senior Namu Makatiani (Nairobi, Kenya/George School) delivered a historic performance at the Music City Challenge at Vanderbilt, resetting his own school record in the triple jump. Makatiani recorded a leap of 14.81 meters on his first attempt to place sixth overall in a field made up primarily of Division I athletes as the lone Division III competitor. His record-breaking mark eclipsed his previous indoor school record of 14.55 meters, matches his outdoor program record, and currently ranks first in the NCAC and eighth nationally in Division III this season.

Women's Sprints/Hurdles – Sandra King, John Carroll
John Carroll sophomore Sandra King (Akron, OH/Akron Buchtel) impressed across three events at the BU David Hemery Valentine Invite and Tufts Cupid Challenge. At BU in a field made up primarily of Division I programs, King ran 57.66 in the 400-meter dash to place 23rd out of 123 competitors and then helped John Carroll's 4x400-meter relay break the school record with a 3:54.26. Both performances currently sits second in the NCAC. At Tufts, King ran the 400 leg in 59.00 for the Blue Streaks' distance medley relay that posted a 12:02.63 mark (converted 11:54.97), which ranks first in the conference and fourth in Division III.

Women's Mid/Distance – Abby Schroff, John Carroll
John Carroll senior Abby Schroff (Lewis Center, OH/Olentangy Orange) delivered a strong weekend across the BU David Hemery Valentine Invite and Tufts Cupid Challenge, starting with a personal-best 4:58.77 in the mile at BU that ranks second in the NCAC and 40th in Division III. Schroff followed with a 10:00.85 personal best in the 3,000-meter run at BU, breaking the JCU school record and moving into first in the NCAC in the event. She also contributed to the Blue Streaks' distance medley relay that posted a 12:02.63 (converted 11:54.97) at Tufts, which ranks first in the NCAC and fourth in Division III.

Women's Field – Anna Fritz, Oberlin
Oberlin senior Anna Fritz (Oberlin, OH/Oberlin) made history at the All-Ohio Championships, capturing first in the long jump while breaking the program record. Fritz soared 5.56 meters to surpass Annie Goodridge's previous program record of 5.48 meters, a mark that had stood for more than 20 years. Her jump currently ranks second in the NCAC and is tied for 33rd in Division III this season.

Milestones & Records (Feb. 9-15)

Denison, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Senior Oliver DiCerbo (Lexington, MA/Lexington) posted a personal-best 8:45.93 in the 3,000 meters at the All-Ohio meet to place second in a 22-runner field. DiCerbo's time ranks seventh in the NCAC this season and slots sixth in Denison program history.

Denison, Women's Indoor Track & Field – Sophomore Mira Renaldi (Plymouth, MI/Canton) placed second in the 60-meter hurdles at the All-Ohio meet, finishing in 8.97 to set a new program record, which ranks third in the NCAC and is tied for 31st in Division III this season.

DePauw, Women's Basketball – Junior forward Olivia Hart (Murfreesboro, TN/Central Magnet) scored a career-high 22 points to go along with 15 rebounds, three steals and two blocks in win at Kenyon.

Kenyon, Men's Lacrosse – Senior midfielder Tanner Lewis (Alexandria, VA/Espiscopal) posted a team-high, game-high and career-high six points off two goals and four assists in a 15-8 victory against Adrian.

DePauw, Men's Indoor Track & Field – The Tigers' 4x200-meter relay of sophomores Lane Zander (Lake Village, IN/Kankakee Valley), Jacob Sandlin (San Pierre, IN/Kankakee Valley), Noah Wagner (Huntington, IN/Huntington North), and Nick Bauman (Noblesville, IN/Guerin Catholic) set a new school record at the DePauw Invitational, winning the event in 1:29.07 to finish first out of nine. The record-breaking relay time, converted to 1:27.82, currently ranks third in the NCAC this season.

DePauw, Women's Indoor Track & Field – Junior Shelby Stall (Lindenhurst, IL/Lakes) won the 200 meters at the DePauw Invitational with a time of 24.91 to set a new school record. Stall's record-breaking mark topped a field of 25 runners and currently ranks 24th nationally in Division III.

Oberlin, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Senior Liam Newman (Wenatchee, WA/Wenatchee) delivered a breakthrough performance at the All-Ohio Championships, recording a personal-best 4:19.67 in the mile to place second overall. Newman now ranks third in the NCAC this season and fourth all-time in Oberlin program history.

Ohio Wesleyan, Men's Swimming & Diving – The Battling Bishops' 400-yard medley relay of sophomore John Wion (Sunbury, OH/Big Walnut), junior Ian Sander (Pemberville, OH/Eastwood), senior Evan Lucas (Cincinnati, OH/Loveland), and junior Nathan Ambler (Columbus, OH/Worthington Killbourne) broke the program record at the NCAC Championships with a time of 3:27.80. Wion also reset the Ohio Wesleyan record in the 100-yard backstroke twice at the meet—first in prelims and again in finals—lowering his own standard to 50.03.

Wabash, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Wabash senior Quinn Sholar (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central) broke the program record in the shot put at the 2026 DePauw Invitational, winning the event with a 17.47-meter throw to surpass Derek De St. Jean's 2015 mark of 16.17 meters. Sholar's record-breaking throw stands as the NCAC's top mark this season by nearly 1.5 meters and is tied for sixth in Division III.

Wittenberg, Men's Indoor Track & Field – Junior Lukas Rieben (Clayton, OH/Northmont) ran a personal-best 14:47.93 in the 5,000 meters at the Heartland Invitational in Indiana. Rieben's time currently leads the NCAC this season and moved him into second on Wittenberg's all-time performance list.

Wittenberg, Women's Indoor Track & Field – Senior Abbey Danne (Johnstown, OH/Big Walnut) set a school record in the women's 600 meters at the Heartland Invitational, clocking 1:38.92 to finish eighth.

Wooster, Men's Swimming & Diving – The Fighting Scots first-year Hayden Price (Canfield, OH/Canfield) and seniors Boston Sullivan (North Canton, OH/Hoover), Will Laymon (Mt. Vernon, OH/Mt. Vernon), and Callum Glover (Houston, TX/Stratford) lowered their own Wooster program records in the 200 medley relay (1:31.55) and 400 medley relay (3:21.00) at the NCAC Championships. Sullivan also lowered his school record in the 100 breaststroke (55.78) and broke the program record in the 200 breaststroke (2:03.71) to become the first Scot to hold both breaststroke records at the same time since 2015.