Spalding's Deng Claims Third Runner of the Week Honor
Posted: Oct 08, 2012

Spalding's Deng Claims Third Runner of the Week Honor

St. Louis, Mo. - The St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC) has announced the Athletes of the Week for the week of October 1-7.

MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Spalding University's Abram Deng, a senior from Louisville, Ky. (Central), has been named the Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week for the week of September 24-30. This marks the second consecutive week and third time this season that he has earned the honor.

Deng placed ninth out of 367 runners at the Gibson Family Pre-National Meet hosted by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Ind. He posted a time of 25:46 on the 8K course and led Spalding to a 16th place finish out of 30 teams competing.

WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
Westminster College's Sarah Koestner, a junior from Lohman, Mo. (Russellville), has been named the Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week for the week of October 1-7.

Koestner ran a time of 19:10 on the 5K course at the Gary Stoner Invitational hosted by Central Methodist University in Fayette, Mo. Her time was a personal best by 28 seconds as she placed 10th out of 90 total runners. Koestner finished behind five NCAA DII runners, three NCAA DI runners and one NAIA runner. Westminster placed third out of nine teams competing.

MEN'S SOCCER - OFFENSIVE
Greenville College's Robert Wright, a junior from Hazelwood, Mo. (Hazelwood West), has been named the Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the week of October 1-7.

Wright, a midfielder, had three goals and one assist in two games played last week. He scored the lone goal for the Panthers in a 2-1 loss to Benedictine University-Springfield. Wright followed that with two goals and one assist in a 4-0 shutout versus Blackburn College.

MEN'S SOCCER - DEFENSIVE
Principia College's Matt Jones, a sophomore from Littleton, Colo. (Principia School), has been named the Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for the week of October 1-7.

Jones, a goalkeeper, posted a 1-1 record in 180:00 minutes played in goal last week. He helped hold Fontbonne to only one goal as his team lost 1-0 to the league leader. Jones then tallied 10 saves in a 3-2 victory over Westminster College (Mo.), with both of Westminster's goals scored on penalty kicks.

WOMEN'S SOCCER - OFFENSIVE
Spalding University's Katie Ballard, a freshman from Huntington Beach, Calif. (Edison), has been named the Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week for the week of October 1-7.

Ballard, a striker, recorded four goals in three games played last week. She scored the lone, game-winning goal in a 1-0 win against Westminster College (Mo.). Ballard also had a hat trick with all three goals in the Golden Eagles 3-0 victory over MacMurray College. Spalding went 2-1 on the week, with their loss a 6-0 defeat to Webster University.

WOMEN'S SOCCER - DEFENSIVE
Webster University's Amy Schield, a sophomore from Belleville, Ill. (Belleville West), has been named the Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week for the week of October 1-7.

Schield, a defender, played a key role in the Gorloks' to conference shutouts last week. She marked Blackburn's top forward, not allowing a single shot on goal as Webster won 5-0. Schield is a key to Webster's defense that has only allowed nine goals total this season. Webster head coach Luigi Scire commented that "Amy's intelligent play, quickness and physical style is essential to our success on the defensive side of the ball".

VOLLEYBALL - OFFENSIVE
Greenville College's Corinne Coon, a junior from Warsaw, Ind., has been named the Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week for the week of October 1-7.

Coon, an opposite side hitter, recorded 22 kills total and had 4.40 kills per set in two matches played last week. She tallied a total of seven kills in a 3-0 victory versus Blackburn College. Coon then recorded 15 kills for an average of 5.00 kills per set and added two digs, two blocks and one service ace in a 3-0 win over Fontbonne University.

VOLLEYBALL - DEFENSIVE
Webster University's Liz Abraham, a junior from Hermann, Mo. (Northwest), has been named the Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week for the week of October 1-7. This marks the second time this season that she has earned the honor.

Abraham, a defensive specialist, had 43 digs in three matches played last week. She led the Gorloks defensively with 11 digs in a 3-0 loss to nationally ranked No. 1 Washington University-St. Louis. She then had 17 digs and one service ace in a 3-1 loss to Millikin University. Abraham finished the week with 15 digs and two service aces in a 3-0 victory versus MacMurray College.