MIAA Football Players of the Week

For the week of play ending Sept. 21

OFFENSE:
Zach Miller, QB
University of Nebraska-Omaha

Miller, a 6-foot-4, 230-pound senior from Weston, Neb., accounted for 338 yards of offense and five touchdowns as the No. 5 Mavericks won at Missouri Southern, 40-21, last Saturday night (Sept. 20).

He rushed for 195 yards on 16 carries, scoring three times on runs of 5, 65 and 16 yards. The 65-yard run is UNO's longest run from scrimmage this season.

Miller was 9-of-13 through the air for 143 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. He found Kelvin Nesbit for TD tosses of 50 and 30 yards in the game.

Miller, now third all-time at UNO in scoring (234 points), is a graduate of Wahoo (Neb.)-Bishop Neumann High School.

Others Nominated: Caleb Farabi, TB, PSU; Bobby Guillory, WR/RB, UCM; Joel Osborn, QB, NWMSU; Andre Sloan El, QB, ESU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Drew Newhart, QB, MWSU; 9/8 -- Mark Smith, QB, PSU; 9/15 -- LaRon Council, RB, NWMSU.

DEFENSE:
Adam Vondrak, LB
Northwest Missouri State University

Vondrak, a 6-foot-1, 225-pound sophomore from Sioux City, Iowa, led the Northwest defense in tackles as the No. 9 Bearcats posted a 49-0 win at Truman in the Old Hickory Stick game Saturday night (Sept. 20).

He had seven tackles (four solo) to lead Northwest, which had a total of 36 tackles (not including special teams) against the Bulldogs.

The Bearcats limited Truman to 143 total yards, including just 50 rushing yards, and seven total first downs (two of which came on Northwest penalties).

The Bulldogs were held to just 6 yards on 18 second-half plays.

Vondrak is a graduate of Bishop Heenan High School.

Others Nominated: Soane Etu, DE, MWSU; Steve Janda, S, UNO; Katrel Larkins, LB, ESU; John Wood, DE, UCM.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Michael Krajicek, LB, WU & Katrel Larkins, LB, ESU; 9/8 -- Jason Thier, LB, TSU; 9/15 -- Allen Walker, DB, FHSU.

SPECIAL TEAMS:
Dustin Strickler, K
Missouri Western State University

Strickler, a 6-foot-1, 165-pound senior from Bellevue, Neb., remained perfect on both field goals and extra points for the season in Western's 46-40 loss to No. 7 Pittsburg State Saturday night (Sept. 20).

He was 2-for-2 on field goals, connecting from 39 and 42 yards, and is now perfect in six tries for 2008.

Strickler also booted four extra points to move to 15-of-15 for the year and extend his current string to 46 -- he's six away from equaling his current school record.

Strickler is a graduate of Papillion (Neb.)-LaVista High School.

Others Nominated: Matthew Perry, K, ESU; Jason Schlautman, P, UNO.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Bryan Haynes, WR/KR, FHSU; 9/8 -- Jared Witter, K/P, PSU; 9/15 -- Tyler Elder, P, FHSU.

MIAA Volleyball Players of the Week

For the week of play ending Sept. 21

HITTER:
Paula Harris, MH
University of Central Missouri

Harris, a 6-foot-1 freshman from Conway Springs, Kan., hit .435 (56 kills, 16 errors, 92 attempts) and averaged 5.82 points per set as the No. 17 Jennies won three matches last week -- including a pair on the road -- to move to 4-0 in MIAA play.

In a 3-1 win at No. 16 Pittsburg State Saturday (Sept. 20), Harris had 27 points (26 kills, 2 block assists) and hit .362 (26-9-47) with three digs.

The night before at Missouri Southern, Harris hit .500 (20-5-30) and scored 23.5 points (20 kills, 1 ace, 1 block solo, 3 block assists) in a 3-1 victory.

She scored 13.5 points (10 kills, 1 ace, 5 block assists) and hit .533 (10-2-15) in a home sweep of Southwest Baptist Wednesday (Sept. 17).

Harris is a graduate of Conway Springs High School.

Others nominated: Pamela Cartegena, OH, PSU; Allie Cherven, MH, TSU; Brittney Miller, OH, ESU; Lilian Rezende, OH, FHSU; Ashley Shepard, OH, WU; Ellen Thommes, MH, UNO.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Rachel Fister, OH, UCM; 9/8 -- Monica Miesner, OH, WU; 9/15 -- Monica Miesner, OH, WU.

SPECIALIST:
Ting Liu, S
Emporia State University

Liu, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Beijing, China, averaged 11.64 assists per set and hit .385 (13 kills, 3 errors, 26 attempts) as she helped the No.14 Hornets to a 3-0 start to MIAA play last week.

She had a season-high 52 assists with five kills, two aces and 12 digs in a 3-1 win over No. 11 Truman Wednesday (Sept. 17). She hit .625 (no errors, 8 attempts) and added two block assists.

In a sweep at Missouri Western Friday (Sept. 19), Liu had 33 assists, two block solos, two block assists, two aces and two kills. She had a part in 39 of ESU's 55 points scored on the evening, and the Hornets hit .341.

She logged 43 assists, six kills, 1 ace, 15 digs and three block assists in a 3-1 win the next day at Northwest Missouri State.

Liu is a graduate of Beijing Fifth Sport School.

Others Nominated: Whitney Boehler, L, TSU; Kate Hampson, S, WU; Caitlin Pankratz, S, UCM.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Whitney Boehler, L, TSU; 9/8 -- Ting Liu, S, ESU; 9/15 -- Ting Liu, S, ESU.
MIAA Women's Soccer Players of the Week

For the week of play ending Sept. 21

OFFENSIVE:
Sharaya Sidebottom, F
University of Central Missouri

Sidebottom, a 5-foot-5 freshman from Blue Springs, Mo., had a part in all three goals as the Jennies upset fifth-ranked Nebraska-Omaha, 3-1, Thursday night (Sept. 18).

She scored UCM's first goal -- the first of her collegiate career -- in the 52nd minute to give her squad the lead. She headed a crossing pass from Landri Schmitt to break the ice.

Less than three minutes later, Sidebottom found Alyssa Rhodes with a pass which led to a goal and a 2-0 Central Missouri lead.

In the 67th minute, her free kick set up Melanie Hall's goal which gave the Jennies a three-goal cushion.

It was UCM's first win over the Mavericks in nine tries.

Sidebottom is a graduate of Blue Springs South High School.

Others nominated: Lauren Cathey, M, ESU; Isabel Gaeta, F, TSU.

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Nikki Llewellyn, M, MSSU & Rhiane Mitchell, F, SBU; 9/8 -- Riley Mahn, F, TSU; 9/15 -- Nicola Cousins, M/B, SBU.

DEFENSIVE:
Tina Commons, GK/B
Emporia State University

Commons, a 5-foot-9 senior from Emporia, Kan., won her first collegiate start in goal with a 1-0 win over Missouri Western Thursday (Sept. 18).

In just her second collegiate appearance between the pipes (she entered as a substitute in her only other game), Commons made five saves as the Griffons took 11 shots in the match.

It was ESU's first MIAA shutout since Oct. 23, 2005, and the first complete-game shutout by a Hornet keeper since the 2005 campaign.

She played as a back Saturday (Sept. 20) in a 1-0 loss to 10th-ranked Truman, but helped the ESU defense to limit the Bulldogs to one goal and three shots on goal. Truman averaged 2.5 goals and 8.2 shots on goal entering the day.

Commons, who also has played basketball at ESU, is a graduate of Emporia High School.

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

Previous winners: 9/1 -- Denise Childress, GK, TSU; 9/8 -- Ashley Klone, GK, WU; 9/15 -- Lauren Bamvakais, GK, UCM.

MIAA Cross Country Runners of the Week

For the week of competition ending Sept. 21

MEN:
Jarkko Jarvenpaa
Missouri Southern State University

Jarvenpaa, a 6-foot-0 freshman from Tampere, Finland, placed ninth at the Missouri Southern Stampede Saturday (Sept. 20).

He finished with an 8-kilometer time of 25 minutes, 23.3 seconds, and was the Lions' top finisher and logged the top time of any MIAA comeptitor at the meet.

Southern placed second in the team standings, trailing only Harding (Ark.), the third-ranked team in the latest USTFCCCA Division II national ranking.

Jarvenpaa is a graduate of Sammon Kesnuschukio High School.

Others nominated: Skyler Delmott, ESU; Shawn Etzenhouser, SBU; Zach Layton, NWMSU.

Previous winners: 9/8 -- Skyler Delmott, ESU; 9/15 -- Shawn Etzenhouser, SBU.

WOMEN:
Kimi Shank
Missouri Southern State University

Shank, a 5-foot-3 junior from Rolla, Mo., was the top NCAA Division II finisher at the Missouri Southern Stampede (Sept. 20).

Trailing competitors from Tulsa (Okla.) and Oklahoma, she placed fourth with a 5-kilometer clocking of 17 minutes, 26.7 seconds.

The Lions also were the top Division II squad in the competition, finishing second to the TU Golden Hurricane and six points ahead of Harding (Ark.), the No. 12 team in the D-II natioanl ranking -- three spots behind MSSU.

Shank is a graduate of Rolla High School.

Others nominated: Courtney Ayers, SBU; Katie Mona, ESU.

Previous winners: 9/8 -- Danna Kelly, TSU; 9/15 -- Katie Mona, ESU.

MIAA Men's Golf Athlete of the Week

For competition from the start of the Fall season through Sept. 21

Justin Yoder
University of Central Missouri

Yoder, a 5-foot-10, 190-pound junior from Versailles, Mo., has a stroke average of 68.8 over his first six rounds of the season, picking up three individual titles and leading the Mules to a pair of team championships in three tournaments.

He started the Fall by carding consecutive 70s in the Missouri Intercollegiate Tournament at Sunrise Beach, Mo., Sept. 2-3. He finished with a four-under 140 to tie with Truman's Michael Spaulding for medalist honors, as UCM was eight shots ahead of Drury (Mo.) for the team title with a four-man, 36-hole score of 583.

At the William Woods (Mo.) Arris' Pizza Fall Invitational Sept. 8-9, he shot the low 18 of the event with a six-under 66 in the opening round and finished with a 36-hole score of 136, eight-under par. The Mules were one shot behind Arkansas-Fort Smith for the team championship with a 565.

At the first MIAA meet of the season, the Pittsburg State Invitational Sept. 15-16, Yoder carded a 137 for the two rounds, closing out the event with a five-under 67 as the Mules finished 12 shots ahead of defending conference champion Washburn with a four-man score of 563.

Yoder is a graduate of Versailles High School.

Also nominated: Matt Ewald, WU; Logan Gilliland, MWSU.