HCAC Players of the Week

The following athletes were named players of the week in their respective
sports for the week ending September 9, 2012.


Men's Cross Country - Chris Lafree, Manchester University




Manchester University's Chris Lafree (South Bend, Ind./Riley) won the
individual title at the Bluffton Invitational Saturday and has been named
the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Cross Country Runner of
the Week.  Lafree set a new course record with an 8K time of 26:41, helping
the No. 33 ranked Spartans earn the team title.


Women's Cross Country - Karla Madrigal, Manchester University




Manchester University's Karla Madrigal (Elkhart, Ind./Central) earned the
title at the Bluffton Invitational Saturday and has been named the Heartland
Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week.
The senior covered the 6K course with a course record time of 23:53, leading
the Spartans to the team title.


Football: Offense - Aaron Abbott, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology




Rose-Hulman wide receiver Aaron Abbott (Lebanon, Ohio/H.S.) scored two
touchdowns in the Engineers' 49-21 loss at Centre Saturday and has been
named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Player of the
Week on offense.  The freshman made nine receptions for 100 yards and a
touchdown, while adding 36 yards and a touchdown on the ground.  Rose-Hulman
(0-2, 0-0 HCAC) will open the HCAC schedule at Defiance Saturday at 1:30 PM.


Football: Defense - Stephen Coble, Manchester University


Manchester University defensive lineman Stephen Coble (Edwardsburg,
Mich./H.S.) recorded a big afternoon for the Spartans in an 18-16 four
overtime loss to Kalamazoo Saturday and has been named the Heartland
Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Player of the Week on defense.  The
sophomore finished with seven and a half tackles, two sacks, three tackles
for loss, and an interception against the Hornets.  Manchester (0-2, 0-0
HCAC) will entertain preseason conference favorite Franklin at 1:30 PM
Saturday.

Football: Special Teams - Aaron Spence, Defiance College



Defiance College's Aaron Spence (Three Rivers, Mich./H.S.) averaged 43.0
yards per punt in DC's 23-13 loss at Adrian Saturday and has been named the
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Football Player of the Week on
special teams.  The junior punter averaged 43.0 yards per punt over five
kicks, including a career long of 67 yards.  Spence also pinned Adrian
inside its own 20-yard line on two of his five attempts and forced one fair
catch.  Defiance (0-2, 0-0 HCAC) will play host to Rose-Hulman Saturday at
1:30 PM.


Women's Golf - Becky Roberts, Hanover College


Hanover College's Becky Roberts (Avon, Ind./H.S.) led the Panthers to a
second place finish at the Hanover Invitational over the weekend and has
been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Golfer of
the Week.  The senior placed second overall among 63 golfers with rounds of
78 and 79.  Hanover posted a 668 to finish second out of eight schools in
the tournament.


Co-Men's Golf - Jantzen Latham & Hunter Frazier, Transylvania University


Transylvania University's Jantzen Latham (Central City, Ky./Muhlenberg Co.)
and Hunter Frazier (Lexington, Ky./Christian) tied for third at the
Transylvania Fall Invitational and have been named the Heartland Collegiate
Athletic Conference Co-Men's Golfer of the Week.  The tandem each shot
rounds of 70 and 71 to finish third in the individual standings as the host
Pioneers earned the team title at the event by a single stroke over
Wittenberg.


Women's Tennis - Claire Mielcarek, Transylvania University




Transylvania University's Claire Mielcarek (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay)
earned a pair of wins in TU's narrow 5-4 win over Anderson Saturday and has
been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Tennis
Player of the Week.  The freshman defeated Courtney Postmus 6-4, 6-3 at No.
1 singles and teamed with Kaitlin Hizny for an 8-2 win at No. 1 doubles in
the HCAC opening match.  Transy (1-0, 1-0 HCAC) will face Hanover and
Manchester in league play this week.


Men's Soccer - Peter Carlson, Bluffton University




Bluffton University's Peter Carlson (Toledo, Ohio/Springfield) led the
Beavers to their first win of the season at Shawnee State Saturday and has
been named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Player
of the Week.  The sophomore midfielder contributed an assist with less than
eight minutes to play that knotted the match at 1-1 and followed that up
with the game-winner with just seven seconds to play in regulation.  It was
Carlson's first goal of the season and just the second of his career.
Bluffton (1-2, 0-0 HCAC) will face St. Francis (IN) and Wittenberg in
non-conference action this week.


Women's Soccer - Rachel Alvis, Hanover College




Hanover College freshman forward Rachel Alvis (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain)
helped the Panthers to a 3-0 record during the week and has been named the
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Women's Soccer Player of the Week.
The freshman scored one goal in HC's 5-0 win over St. Mary-of-the-Woods, had
an assist in a 2-0 win over Heidelberg, and added another goal in a 3-0 win
over Trine.  Hanover (5-0, 0-0 HCAC) will welcome Centre on Saturday.


Volleyball: Offense - Brooke Stamper, Franklin College




Franklin College's Brooke Stamper (Brownsburg, Ind./Covenant Christian)
helped the Grizzlies to a 3-2 record during the week and has been named the
Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the Week on
offense.  The sophomore setter totaled 159 assists for the Grizzlies during
the week.  Stamper piled up 59 assists in FC's come from behind five set
victory over Ohio Wesleyan at the Earlham Invitational Sunday.  She added 34
more assists in Franklin's three set win over IU-Kokomo in the next match.
Franklin (3-6, 0-0 HCAC) will face Spalding, Earlham, Washington &
Jefferson, and Thomas More this week.


Volleyball: Defense - Kate Dangel, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology




Rose-Hulman's Kate Dangel (Upper Arlington, Ohio/H.S.) led the Engineers to
a 2-2 mark at the Rose-Hulman Invitational over the weekend and has been
named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Volleyball Player of the
Week on defense for the second time.  The junior led the team with 99 digs
(4.71/set) as the Engineers earned wins over Centre and Webster.
Rose-Hulman (6-3, 0-0 HCAC) will take part in the DePauw Invitational this
weekend.