North Coast Athletic Conference Athletes of the Week | April 14, 2026
 
Baseball Pitcher - Matthew Ruttkay, Oberlin
Oberlin sophomore pitcher Matthew Ruttkay (Northbrook, IL/Glenbrook North) turned in a dominant outing on the mound to lead the Yeomen to a 5-0 conference victory over Wooster. Ruttkay earned the win after tossing 7.2 shutout innings, allowing just five hits while striking out six batters and issuing only one walk. He faced 28 hitters and held the Fighting Scots to a .185 batting average in the impressive performance. The outing marked Ruttkay's first career shutout and improved his season record to 3-1.

Baseball Player - Aidan Howard, DePauw
DePauw senior outfielder/designated hitter Aidan Howard (Portland, OR/Tualatin) delivered an outstanding five game week at the plate, as the Tigers went 6-0. Howard batted .600 (15-for-25), scoring 11 runs and driving in 13 RBI while posting a .960 slugging percentage and .600 on-base percentage. He recorded at least two hits in all five games played during the week and tallied three or more hits in three contests. Howard was especially dominant in NCAC play, batting .650 (13-for-20) with 10 runs scored, 11 RBI, and six doubles across four conference games.

Men's Golf - Callahan Lawler, Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan sophomore Callahan Lawler (Hudson, OH/Hudson HS) earned medalist honors at the Wooster Invitational, shooting a career-best two-under 70 on the par-72, 6,917-yard Fox Meadow Country Club course. The sophomore was the only player in the field to finish under par.

Women's Golf - Audrey Nichols, Ohio Wesleyan
Ohio Wesleyan sophomore Audrey Nichols (Uniontown, OH/Lake HS) secured co-medalist honors at the Ohio Wesleyan/Wooster Dual, shooting an 84 on the par-72, 5,609-yard Fox Meadow Country Club course to lead the Battling Bishops to the team title with a score of 352.

Men's Lacrosse - Michael Cassidy, Denison
Denison senior midfielder Michael Cassidy (Lake Bluff, IL/Lake Forest HS) totaled seven goals and two assists in a 2-0 week for the Big Red. Cassidy posted five goals and an assist, putting 6-of-6 shots on goal, in a 19-4 win at Wabash, then added two goals and an assist in a 15-3 victory over Wooster.

Women's Lacrosse - MK Barnhart, Denison
Denison sophomore attacker MK Barnhart (Rehoboth Beach, DE/The Hill School) totaled 18 points on three goals and 15 assists in a perfect 3-0 conference week for the Big Red. Barnhart opened the week with two goals and two assists, putting 3-of-3 shots on goal, in a 16-2 win over Ohio Wesleyan. She then dished out seven assists in a 17-9 victory at Wooster, tying the Denison program record for assists in a single game and handing the Fighting Scots their first loss of the season. She closed the week with a goal and six assists in a 21-3 win over Kenyon.

Softball Pitcher - Hailey Alspach, Oberlin
Oberlin senior pitcher Hailey Alspach (Escondido, CA/Escondido Charter) delivered a strong performance in the circle, helping lead the Yeowomen to a sweep of Ohio Wesleyan, the first in program history. Alspach earned wins in both games of the series, beginning with a dominant relief appearance in an 11-3 victory where she tossed 4.0 innings, allowing just one hit while striking out seven batters. She followed with a complete-game effort in the series finale, pitching 7.0 innings and surrendering just one earned run on six hits while striking out five in a 6-5 win.

Softball Player - Paige Brady, DePauw
DePauw junior catcher Paige Brady (Tucson, AZ/Tanque Verde) turned in an exceptional week at the plate to help lead the Tigers to a 4-1 record, including a 4-0 mark in NCAC play. Brady batted .727 (8-for-11) with four RBI and three doubles while posting a 1.000 slugging percentage and .667 on-base percentage. She recorded at least one hit in all five games during the week and drove in one run in each of DePauw's four conference contests, finishing 6-for-8 in NCAC play. Brady's top performance came in a 6-4 win over Wooster, when she went a perfect 3-for-3 with an RBI. Defensively, she also posted a 1.000 fielding percentage with 16 putouts and two assists behind the plate.

Men's Tennis - Kael Shah, Denison
Denison senior Kael Shah (Nairobi, Kenya/ES American School Barcelona) went 7-1 on the week, posting a perfect 3-0 record in singles and going 4-1 in doubles as the Big Red defeated all six of their opponents, including wins over No. 5 Case Western (4-1), No. 34 Oberlin (6-1), John Carroll (7-0), Ohio Northern (7-0), Wittenberg (7-0), and Otterbein (7-0). In singles, Shah won at the No. 1 flight over Case Western (6-1, 6-3) and Wittenberg (6-0, 6-0), and at No. 2 over Ohio Northern (6-0, 6-1). In doubles, he teamed with Ethan Green (Salt Lake City, UT/Skyline) for a 6-2 win over Oberlin in the top flight, partnered with Andreas Chapides (Limassol, Cyprus/ES International School) for a 6-2 victory over Ohio Northern at No. 1, and joined Anthony Payiavlas (Warren, OH/Harding) for a No. 1 win over Wittenberg (6-0) and a No. 2 win over Otterbein (6-0). The victory over Case Western marked Shah's 100th career singles win, and the senior now stands at 102.

Women's Tennis - Kiara Komlodi, Kenyon
Kenyon first-year Kiara Komlodi (Dunakeszi, Hungary/Csanádi Árpád Általános Iskola) helped lead the Owls to a 3-0 week over conference competition. Kenyon defeated Denison (6-1), Wittenberg (5-0), and DePauw (7-0) to remain undefeated in league action. In singles, Komlodi competed in the second flight and posted a 6-2, 6-0 win over DePauw and a 7-5, 6-0 victory over Denison. In doubles play, she teamed with Sophia Carling (Fairport, NY/The Harley School) at No. 1 for a 6-0 win over Wittenberg, paired with Eleni Lazaridou (Veroia, Greece/4th Lyceum of Veria) at No. 1 for a 6-2 victory over DePauw, and joined Shadia Amado Aguad (Arequipa, Peru/Colegio Anglo Americano Presco) at No. 2 for a 6-2 win over Denison.
 
Men's Sprints/Hurdles - Jack Kittle, Wittenberg
Wittenberg sophomore Jack Kittle (Chagrin Falls, OH/Chagrin Falls HS) was the top Division III finisher in three events at the University of Tennessee Invitational, a meet featuring Division I programs. Kittle placed eighth in the 400-meter dash (47.43), set a season best in the 200-meter dash with a 16th-place finish (21.39), and ran a leg on Wittenberg's 11th-place 4x100-meter relay that finished in 41.43 seconds. His mark in the 200 leads the NCAC and currently ranks 24th in Division III.
 
Men's Mid-Distance/Distance - Charlie Blackmer, Kenyon
Kenyon sophomore Charlie Blackmer (Libertyville, IL/Vernon Hills) set a new program record in the 1,500-meter run at the Bison Outdoor Classic at Bucknell University, clocking a 3:51.73 to break the previous record of 3:54.47 set by Aaron Emig in 2004. Blackmer placed 45th out of 86 competitors in an all-division field and currently ranks first in the NCAC and 17th in Division III with the mark.
 
Men's Field - Rob Mays III, Wooster
Wooster senior Rob Mays III (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg HS) broke his own program record in the hammer throw for the second-consecutive meet at the All-Ohio Outdoor Championships, launching a mark of 52.10 meters to place second and earn All-Ohio honors. Mays also set a career best in the discus throw with a toss of 43.56 meters, placing fourth and moving into eighth in program history.
 
Women's Sprints/Hurdles - Liberty Scott, DePauw
DePauw junior Liberty Scott (Galveston, IN/Lewis Cass HS) set new program records in both the 100-meter (14.06) and 400-meter (1:01.37) hurdles, winning both events at the Indiana DIII Championships. Both marks rank sixth nationally, with Scott sitting third in the NCAC in the 100-meter hurdles and first in the 400-meter hurdles. She also ran a leg on DePauw's 4x400-meter relay, which set a new program record that ranks first in the NCAC and 13th nationally with a time of 3:52.80, as the Tigers finished the meet second out of eight teams.
 
Women's Mid-Distance/Distance - Abby Schroff, John Carroll
John Carroll senior Abby Schroff (Lewis Center, OH/Olentangy Orange HS) made her career debut in the 10,000-meter run at the Bison Outdoor Classic at Bucknell University, clocking a 35:43.30 to place 13th out of 41 runners in an all-division field. With that mark, Schroff currently ranks first in the NCAC and 15th in Division III.
 
Women's Field - Leah Fritsch, John Carroll
John Carroll senior Leah Fritsch (Pittsburgh, PA/Ambridge Area HS) set a new program record in the javelin at the Bison Outdoor Classic at Bucknell University, launching a personal-best toss of 42.78 meters to break the previous program record of 40.61 meters set by sophomore Lily Shahan (Belle Vernon, PA/Belle Vernon Area) in 2025. The senior improved her personal best by nearly four meters and placed ninth out of 27 competitors in an all-division field. With that mark, Fritsch currently ranks first in the NCAC and 10th in Division III.

Milestones & Records (April 6-12)
 
Denison, Women's Tennis – Senior Peyton Oda (Elk Grove Village, IL/Elk Grove HS) recorded her 125th combined career win this past week.
 
Denison, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Junior Justin King (Chatham, NJ/Bergen Catholic HS) set personal bests in the shot put (14.54m) and hammer throw (44.43m) at the Fast Break Invitational at Lee University, placing eighth in both events. His mark in the shot put ranks eighth in program history and third in the NCAC so far this season, while the hammer throw ranks fourth in program history … Senior Oliver DiCerbo (Lexington, MA/Lexington HS) set a personal best in the 1,500-meter run, clocking a 3:57.44 to place 17th out of 72 competitors. The mark ranks ninth in program history and third in the NCAC so far this season … The Big Red two posted top-seven program history marks in both the 4x100-meter relay (41.47) and 4x400-meter relay (3:20.34) at the Fast Break Invitational at Lee University. The 4x100 ranks fourth in program history and fifth in the NCAC, while the 4x400 ranks seventh in program history and third in the NCAC.
 
Denison, Women's Outdoor Track & Field – First-year Shaylee Murdough (Contoocook, NH/Hopkinton) posted top-three program marks in both the 800-meter (2:16.63) and 1,500-meter (4:42.19) runs at the Fast Break Invitational at Lee University. Murdough ranks third and fourth in the NCAC, respectively … Senior Emily Brennan (Sittsville, Ontario/Sacred Heart HS) set a personal best in the 400-meter hurdles at the Fast Break Invitational at Lee University, winning the event in 1:02.40 to record the second-fastest time in program history. Brennan now ranks 10th nationally and second in the NCAC … The Big Red set a new program record in the 4x100-meter relay, finishing second out of five teams with a time of 48.17.
 
Kenyon, Men's Lacrosse – Senior attacker David Chintala (New Albany, OH/St. Francis De Sales HS) recorded a season-high eight points on five goals and three assists in a 15-5 win over Wabash, helping the Owls remain perfect in NCAC play.
 
Kenyon, Softball – Sophomore outfielder Leah Kuban (Pittsburgh, PA/Avonworth HS) broke two program records this weekend, surpassing the single-season home run record previously held by Lindsey Susolik (9) and the single-season RBI record previously held by Jamie Samuel (41). Kuban hit home runs in both conference games, connecting once against Wittenberg and twice against Denison, finishing the weekend 5-for-13 with three home runs, a double, six RBI, and a walk. She now owns 11 home runs and 42 RBI on the season, ranking third nationally in home runs and leading the NCAC with five in conference play.
 
Kenyon, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – The Owls' 4x400-meter relay team of seniors Julius Thompson (McKinney, TX/McKinney Boyd) and Josh Greville (Kane, PA/Kane Area), and sophomores Marius Mazeika (Rumsiskes, Lithuania/Woodberry Forest (VA)) and Kudzaishe Mhere (Harare, Zimbabwe/St. George's College) broke the program record with a third-place finish of 3:21.22 at the All-Ohio Championships, surpassing the previous record of 3:21.94 set in 1991.
 
Kenyon, Women's Outdoor Track & Field – Sophomore Ari Sobel (Scarsdale, NY/Scarsdale HS) tied the program record in the 400-meter dash at the All-Ohio Championships, finishing runner-up with a personal-best time of 58.70 to match the mark set by Alexia Derkasch in 2013.
 
Oberlin, Softball – First-year outfielder Anjali Singh (Fremont, CA/Mission San Jose HS) broke the Oberlin single-season stolen base record, swiping her 25th base of the season in just her 24th game, as the Yeowomen tied the program's single-season win record with 14 victories.
 
Oberlin, Men's Tennis – Senior Sebastien Naginski (Watertown, MA/International School of Boston) earned Oberlin's first point against No. 4 Denison since 2019, winning a three-set battle at No. 5 singles (6-3, 2-6, 10-3).
 
Oberlin, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – First-year Simon Tang (Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands/Saipan Southern HS) broke the Northern Mariana Islands national record in the 110-meter hurdles at the All-Ohio Championships, clocking a personal-best 15.86. Tang also set a personal best in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 59.48.
 
Oberlin, Women's Outdoor Track & Field – Senior Ella Wozek (Waltham, MA/Waltham) set a personal best in the 800-meter run at the All-Ohio Championships, recording the fourth-fastest time in program history with a winning mark of 2:15.09 by nearly four seconds. Wozek now ranks second in the NCAC with that time.
 
Wabash, Baseball – Head coach Jake Martin earned his 200th victory at Wabash on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep over Ohio Wesleyan, improving to 200-156 with the Little Giants and 361-295 overall in his coaching career, which includes seven seasons at DePauw. The milestone capped a day that began with the dedication of a new artificial infield surface, Birdzell Field, at Goodrich Ballpark.
 
Wabash, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – Senior Quinn Sholar (Indianapolis, IN/Warren Central HS) set a career best in the hammer throw with a mark of 55.21 meters at the Greenville University Select meet. The senior now ranks first in the NCAC by nearly three meters … Senior Haiden Diemer-McKinney (Brownsburg, IN/Brownsburg HS) set a career best in the 1,500-meter run, winning the event in 3:56.39. The senior now owns the league's second-fastest time this season.
 
Wittenberg, Men's Outdoor Track & Field – First-year Antonio Weaver (Columbus, OH/Independence HS) tied the program record in the long jump at the Fast Break Invitational at Lee University, finishing runner-up with a leap of 7.21 meters. The mark ranks 11th nationally and leads the NCAC.
 
Wooster, Women's Lacrosse – Sophomore midfielder Cassidy Driscoll (Irvine, CA/Orange Lutheran HS) scored a career-high five goals, collected a career-high six ground balls, and matched a collegiate best with three caused turnovers in a 13-7 win over John Carroll.