For the week of play ending Sept. 7

OFFENSE:
Mark Smith, QB
Pittsburg State University

Smith, a 5-foot-11, 181-pound senior from Pittsburg, Kan., accounted for four touchdowns -- including the go-ahead score with 1:45 remaining as the No. 14 Gorillas claimed a 38-31 win at No. 8 Chadron (Neb.) State last Saturday (Sept. 6).

He scrambled 61 yards to paydirt for his only rushing score in the game's final two minutes to get the lead.

Smith tossed a pair of touchdown passes along with a two-point conversion toss during a 24-point scoring outburst in the second quarter. His third TD connection was a 77-yard connection to Kendall Fisher in the third quarter.

He was 11-of-19 through the air for 214 yards and no interceptions, and added 39 rushing yards on 11 carries for 253 yards of total offense.

Smith is a graduate of St. Mary's-Colgan High School.

Others Nominated: LaRon Council, RB, NWMSU; Tod Hunt, RB, MSSU; Jacobb Irvin, RB, FHSU; Jake Iverson, QB, WU; Zach Miller, QB, UNO; Glenn Milner, RB, UCM; Andre Sloan El, QB, ESU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Drew Newhart, QB, MWSU.

DEFENSE:
Jason Thier, LB
Truman State University

Thier (pronounced THEER), a 6-foot-0, 217-pound senior from Glendale, Ariz., had a career-high 14 tackles and scored on an interception return in the Bulldogs' 34-21 win over Southern Arkansas Saturday (Sept. 6) at Liberty, Mo.

He nearly doubled his previous best of eight stops, and five of his 14 were solos. He recorded six tackles in the third quarter alone.

He also forced a fumble and picked off a pass which he returned 14 yards for Truman's first points. The forced fumble led to a field goal which put the Bulldogs up, 13-7, in the second quarter.

Thier is a graduate of Deer Valley High School.

Others Nominated: Soane Etu, DE, MWSU; Ryan Nesbitt, FS, UCM; Caleb Sanders, CB, PSU; Jacob Skow, ILB, UNO; Brian Tarkington, DL, ESU; Zach Watkins, LB, WU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Michael Krajicek, LB, WU & Katrel Larkins, LB, ESU.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Jared Witter, K/P
Pittsburg State University

Witter, a 6-foot-3, 202-pound sophomore from Lenexa, Kan., averaged 51.2 yards on five punts and was perfect on placement kicks in No. 14 Pitt State's 38-31 win at No. 8 Chadron (Neb.) State Saturday (Sept. 6).

One of his punts was a career-long 71-yard effort, and had three total of at least 50 yards. Two of his punts pinned the Eagles inside their own 20, including one on the CSC 4-yard line that forced them to march 96 yards for the tying score in the fourth quarter.

Witter also was a perfect 3-of-3 on point-after kicks, made his only field goal attempt from 39 yards, and averaged 67.0 yards on seven kickoffs with just one touchback.

Witter is a graduate of Overland Park (Kan.)-Shawnee Mission West High School.

Others Nominated: Max Kleckner, P, TSU; Dustin Strickler, K, MWSU; Johnny Torres, P, ESU

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Bryan Haynes, WR/KR, FHSU.

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MIAA Volleyball Players of the Week

For the week of play ending Sept. 7

HITTER:
Monica Miesner, OH
Washburn University

Miesner (pronounced MEES-ner), a 5-foot-11 senior from Florissant, Mo., hit .312 (47 kills, 13 errors, 109 attempts) and averaged 4.75 points and 5.00 digs per set as the No. 2 Lady Blues won four at the Missouri-St. Louis Tournament last weekend and climbed to 8-0 on the season.

She scored 18 points (15 kills, 2 aces, 2 block assists) and had 22 digs as WU opened play Friday (Sept. 5) with a sweep of Southern Indiana. Later that day, Miesner had 15 points (12 kills, 1 ace, 1 block solo, 2 block assists) and hit .407 (12-1-27) with 15 digs in a sweep of Colorado Mines.

In a 3-1 win Saturday (Sept. 6) over the host Tritons, Miesner scored 14.5 points (11 kills, 2 aces, 3 block assists), had 15 digs and was perfect on 27 reception attempts. In limited action (two sets) during a 3-0 sweep of Quincy (Ill.), she had 9.5 points (9 kills, 1 block assist) and eight digs while hitting .350 (9-2-20).

She is a graduate of St. Louis (Mo.)-Trinity Catholic High School.

Others Nominated: Pamela Cartagena, OH, PSU; Hannah Carter, MH, ESU; Jeanna Feldman, OH, MSSU; Paula Harris, MH, UCM; Eli Medina, OH, TSU; Kelsey Stewart, OH/MH, SBU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Rachel Fister, OH, UCM.

SPECIALIST:
Ting Liu, S
Emporia State University

Liu, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Beijing, China, averaged 11.85 assists and helped her squad hit .272 for the weekend as the No. 14 Hornets dropped just one set in four matches at the St. Edward's (Texas) Classic.

In a sweep of Texas A&M-Kingsville Friday (Sept. 5), Liu had 38 assists (12.67 aps) and was 4-of-6 on attacks with no errors. She also added three digs and a block assist. Later in the day in a 3-0 win over Southern Arkansas, she had 31 assists (10.33 aps) and had one block solo, four blocks assists and four digs.

The next day, Liu dished out 38 assists in a 3-0 sweep of East Central (Okla.) with an ace, a block assist, seven digs and two kills. She wrapped up the tourney against the host Hilltoppers with 47 assists (11.75 aps), eight digs, four kills, three block assist and two aces in a 3-1 ESU victory.

Liu is a graduate of Beijing Fifth Sport School.

Others Nominated: Whitney Boehler, L, TSU; Caitlin Pankratz, S, UCM; Molly Smith, L, WU; Brianna Wallace, S, SBU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Whitney Boehler, L, TSU.

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MIAA Women's Soccer Players of the Week

For the week of play ending Sept. 7

OFFENSIVE:
Riley Mahn, F
Truman State University

Mahn, a 5-foot-7 junior from St. Peter's, Mo., had a part in both go-ahead goals as Truman posted two wins last weekend in Oklahoma.

She assisted on the first goal and added an insurance marker in the second half as the Bulldogs handed No. 9 Central Oklahoma a 2-0 setback Friday (Sept. 5). Her pass to Jessica Wiegert in the sixth minute led to a 1-0 lead -- Wiegert returned the favor in the 53rd minute.

Mahn had both of Truman's first-half goals in a 7-1 victory Sunday (Sept. 7) over Southwestern Oklahoma State -- she jumped on the Savage Storm for her first in just the fourth minute of play, and added another goal in the 13th minute.

She is a graduate of St. Charles (Mo.)-Francis Howell Central High School.

Others Nominated: Melanie Hall, F, UCM; MaryClaire Murnan, F, UNO; Angela Tritz, F, NWMSU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Nikki Llewellyn, M, MSSU & Rhiane Mitchell, F, SBU.

DEFENSIVE:
Ashley Klone, GK
Washburn University

Klone, a 5-foot-8 sophomore from Casper, Wyo., posted a 1-0-1 record with a 0.45 goals-against average during the Lady Blues' trip to Denver last weekend.

She faced 27 shots and allowed just one goal while making 15 saves as Washburn played No. 12 Metropolitan (Colo.) State to a 1-1 draw Friday night (Sept. 5). The 15 saves is second-most in WU history -- and highest total since the record of 17 was set in 2004.

On Sunday (Sept. 7), she posted a 1-0 shutout against Regis (Colo.), stopping all seven shots on goal while facing a total of 11 shots from the Rangers.

Klone is a graduate of Kelly Walsh High School.

Others nominated: Lauren Bamvakais, GK, UCM; Denise Childress, GK, TSU; Kira Lazenby, GK, NWMSU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Denise Childress, GK, TSU.

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For action from the start of the season through Sept. 7

MEN:
Skyler Delmott
Emporia State University

Delmott, a 5-foot-11 junior from Emporia, Kan., won the Baker (Kan.) Maple Leaf Invitational last Saturday (Sept. 6), improving on his time in 2007 on the same course by more than 26 seconds.

He clocked in at 15 minutes, 39.09 seconds on the 5-kilometer layout, which was 21 seconds ahead of his nearest competition.

The Hornets topped a field of 13 teams, with four runners crossing the line in the top eight.

Delmott is a graduate of Emporia High School.

Others Nominated: Brennan Benkert, MSSU; Bob Gorman, TSU; T.R. Pursell, NWMSU.

WOMEN:
Danna Kelly
Truman State University

Kelly, a 5-foot-6 senior from Boone, Iowa, led the Bulldogs in defending their title at the Missouri S&T Miner Invitational Saturday (Sept. 6).

She won the five-kilometer race in a time of 19 minutes, 26.8 seconds, edging out teammate Michelle Gronemeyer by less than four seconds and defending her individual title from 2007.

Truman had six runners finish in the top 11, as the Bulldogs bettered the five other squads in the meet.

Kelly is a graduate of Boone High School.

Others Nominated: Angela Adams, NWMSU; Katie Mona, ESU; Kimi Shank, MSSU.

-- MIAA --