Two Runners Repeat as Athletes of the Week

St. Louis, Mo. - The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) has announced the Athletes of the Week for the week of September 12-18.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Spalding University's Abram Deng, a junior from Louisville, Ky. (Central), has been named the Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week for the week of September 12-18. This marks the second time this season that he has earned the honor.

Deng placed 46th out of 190 total runners at the Commodore Classic hosted by Vanderbilt University. He posted a time of 26:45.30 on the 8K course and was among a NCAA Division 1 heavy field that included runners from Vanderbilt, Belmont, Alabama, Cincinnati, UT-Chatanooga, Lipscomb and Marshall. Deng was the second NCAA Division III runner to cross the finish line and was the third non-Division I/club team runner.

Spalding placed 17th out of 22 teams competing.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Principia College's Casey Powell, a junior from Colorado Springs, Colo., has been named the Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for the week of September 12-18. This marks the second time this season that she has earned the honor.

Powell ran a time of 18:41 to finish in 32nd place at the Illinois Intercollegiate hosted by Illinois State University. She helped lead Principia to a 14th place finish among NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and Junior College teams. Powell and Principia were the top finishers from the SLIAC competing at the race.

MEN'S SOCCER - OFFENSIVE
Blackburn College's Chris Walker, a senior from Carlinville, Ill., has been named the Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the week of September 12-18.

Walker, a 6-3 forward, recorded two goals and four assists in an 11-1 victory versus Lincoln Christian University. He had four of Blackburn's five total assists for the game. The Beavers also tallied a shutout last week; a 7-0 win against Robert Morris University-Springfield.

MEN'S SOCCER - DEFENSIVE
Blackburn College's Brandon Stollies, a freshman from Springfield, Ill., has been named the Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for the week of September 12-18.

Stollies, a defender, started in two games last week for the Beavers and helped anchor a backfield that recorded a shutout and allowed only one goal. Blackburn shutout Robert Morris University-Springfield, 7-0, before dominating Lincoln Christian University with an 11-1 victory.

WOMEN'S SOCCER - OFFENSIVE
Blackburn College's Sammi Ferguson, a sophomore from Jerseyville, Ill. (Jerseyville Community), has been named the Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the week of September 12-18.

Ferguson, a forward, recorded seven goals and two assists for a total of 16 points in only one game played last week. Ferguson's seven goals in a 10-1 win versus Lincoln Christian University set a new school record for goals in a game. She had a part in nine of Blackburn's 10 goals for the game, including tallying the game-winning goal. The Beavers' 10 goals was also a new school, single game record.

WOMEN'S SOCCER - DEFENSIVE
Webster University's Jessica Davis, a freshman from Belleville, Ill. (Belleville West), has been named the Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for the week of September 12-18.

Davis, a goalkeeper, played 135 minutes in three games in goal last week. She played 45 minutes in each of Webster's three games and recorded a total of nine saves while helping the Gorloks post a 2-1 record for the week.

Davis had six saves and allowed only one goal on a penalty kick in a 2-1 loss to Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She added one save in a 4-1 win versus Spalding University, and she had two saves in a 1-0 shutout against Coe College.

VOLLEYBALL - OFFENSIVE
Greenville College's Corinne Coon, a sophomore from Warsaw, Ind. (Warsaw Community), has been named the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week for the week of September 12-18.

Coon, an opposite side hitter, averaged 2.63 kills per set and had a .437 attack percentage in four matches played last week. She also added eight total digs and had 11 blocks.

Coon posted nine kills and no errors on 13 total attempts for a .692 attack percentage in a 3-0 victory (25-11, 25-17, 25-19) against Robert Morris University-Springfield. Her next performance of the week included 10 kills and only one error in 24 total attempts, as Greenville defeated Illinois College 3-2 (24-26, 23-25, 26-24, 26-24, 16-14). Coon also added three digs and six total blocks in the win.

In a key conference matchup, Coon came up big with 18 kills and a .429 attack percentage to help lead the Panthers to a 3-2 win (21-25, 25-21, 25-20, 18-25, 16-14) versus Webster University. She finished the week with five kills and three digs as Greenville lost 3-0 (18-25, 20-25, 19-25) to Spalding University.

VOLLEYBALL - DEFENSIVE
Principia College's Tara Edwards, a senior from Lake Forest, Calif. (El Toro), has been named the Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week for the week of September 12-18.

Edwards, a setter, recorded 24 digs in three matches last week, while also adding 107 set assists and five service aces. She had 47 set assists, four digs and two service aces in a 3-1 loss (26-24, 21-25, 25-27, 23-25) to Webster University. Edwards then recorded 27 set assists, nine digs, two kills and one service ace in a 3-0 win (25-20, 25-12, 25-7) over MacMurray College. She finished the week with 33 set assists, 11 digs, three kills and two service aces in another 3-0 win (25-18, 27-25, 25-18) against Westminster College (Mo.).

"With a young team of four, first-time collegiate players, Tara [Edwards] has been a great leader in competition," commented Principia head coach Mary Ann Sprague. "She has shown match after match, great scrappy defense, winning most jousts at the net and grabbing 24 digs in the backcourt. Her strong blocking presence has also controlled some tough hitting from opponents."