TAMPA, Fla. – The Sun Conference is excited to announce this week’s Player of the Week award winners after conference play began this week in men’s soccer, women’s soccer, and volleyball.
SCAD Savannah cross country raced in the Queen City Invitational, where the (RV) women’s squad took home second place of 14 teams and the men placed sixth. Southeastern’s (RV) women’s cross country team placed fourth of 11 in the Keiser University Flagship Invitational. Ave Maria finished the highest on the men’s side, placing third.
Just three SUN football teams competed this weekend. Ave Maria earned a big road win, defeating Division III Texas Lutheran University by a 27-14 final score and sweep the weekly awards.
In men’s soccer conference-opening play on Wednesday (9/13), No. 6 St. Thomas highlighted the week by going 2-0 with wins over Webber International and Warner. Florida Memorial tied No. 16 Keiser (2-2) and on Saturday, defeated the Gyrenes 3-0.
In women’s soccer action, No. 15 Southeastern highlighted the week with wins over Ave Maria and No. 5 Keiser (2-0). No. 12 SCAD also went 2-0 this week, beating Warner (1-0) and Webber International (3-0).
Inside, Ave Maria volleyball earned two sweeps over Warner and Coastal Georgia. Southeastern, (RV) St. Thomas, and Keiser all won their only matches of the week.
All awards are based on performances from September 11-17.
Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week
John Perez-Dunn - Southeastern | Gr. - Port Charlotte, Fla.
Perez-Dunn improved to 2-0 on the season, winning a battle at the line over STU's Roger Reyes by .12 seconds to claim the crown at the Keiser Invitational in 15:23.
Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week
Alex Midgett - SCAD Savannah | Gr.
Midgett placed fifth overall in the Queen City Invitational, helping her team to a second-place finish out of 14 teams.
Football Players of the Week
Sun Conference Football Defensive Player of the Week
Willie Jackson - Ave Maria | Jr. - Defensive Lineman - Tampa, Fla.
Jackson led the Gyrene pass rush in the victory over Texas Lutheran, logging three tackles for loss and two sacks. Jackson made five unassisted stops in the win, and pushed the Bulldogs back 26 yards in his three tackles for loss.
Sun Conference Football Offensive Player of the Week
Bryan Stiemke - Ave Maria | Jr. - Running Back - Bel Air, Md.
Stiemke had indisputably the best game for a running back in Ave Maria history on Saturday. The junior tailback carried the ball 35 times for 264 yards, both of which were school records. The Maryland native accounted for two of Ave Maria's three touchdowns in the Gyrenes' win over NCAA Divison III Texas Lutheran on the road.
Sun Conference Football Special Teams Player of the Week
Roman Newkirk - Ave Maria | Sr. - Wide Receiver - Mount Dora, Fla.
Newkirk contributed on both sides of the kick game on Saturday, handling both the punting and return duties. Newkirk hit two punts for an average of 37 yards, and added another 47 yards in the return game.
Men’s Soccer Players of the Week
Sun Conference Men’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Niklas Hoener - St. Thomas | Gr. - Defender - Bielefeld, Germany
Hoener led the backline as the new center back for the Bobcats this season. The graduate transfer helped up front by assisting in an insurance goal goal against Webber. In the match against Warner, the Royals did not take a single shot or corner kick all contest due to his efforts on the backline. Hoener led the defense in a dominating week that had two shutouts.
Sun Conference Men’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Osaghae Oghogho - St. Thomas | Gr. - Forward - Miami, Fla.
Oghogho separated himself at the top of the Bobcat leaderboard this week with three goals. In the opening week of conference action, Oghogho lifted STU to a 2-0 start highlighted by a multi-goal game against Warner. The graduate student also leads the conference in goals as the first to five.
Women’s Soccer Players of the Week
Sun Conference Women’s Soccer Defensive Player of the Week
Micaela Owen - Southeastern | Gr. - Goalkeeper - Lewisville, Texas
Owen worked a pair of shutouts in her first two Sun Conference starts, highlighted by the first regular season shutout of Keiser in Sun Conference play since 2016. Owen had six saves to help the Fire beat No. 5 Keiser for the first time since 2020 and directed a defense that limited the opportunities of the Seahawks, cleaning up numerous plays in the box. She also had five saves in a 1-0 shutout victory against Ave Maria on Wednesday. The grad student has recorded three shutouts in her last five starts. She is currently third in the league in saves per game at 5.5.
Sun Conference Women’s Soccer Offensive Player of the Week
Madelyn Davidson - Southeastern | So. - Midfielder - Carnation, Wash.
Davidson scored both goals to help Southeastern beat #5 Keiser for the first time since 2020. The sophomore drilled a shot from just beyond the box, putting it just under the crossbar to give the Fire a 1-0 lead in the first half. Early in the second half, Davidson headed in a serve during a corner kick to push the lead to two.
Volleyball Players of the Week
Sun Conference Volleyball Attacker of the Week
Grace Petty - Southeastern | Sr. - Outside Hitter - Rochester, Ill.
Petty has recorded a double-double in her last five consecutive contests including a team-high 16 kills in their Sun Conference opener against Coastal Georgia this week. Petty averaged four kills per set with an attack percentage of .300 and was instrumental in the Fire's four set win over the Mariners.
Sun Conference Volleyball Defender of the Week
Chapel Cunningham - Southeastern | Jr. - Right Side Hitter - Chattanooga, Tenn.
Cunningham was dynamic at the net in the Fire's Sun Conference opener, recording a dominating seven blocks for an average of 1.75 per set to aid the Fire to a 3-1 win over Coastal Georgia.
Sun Conference Volleyball Setter of the Week
Hannah Heide - Keiser | Sr. - Setter - Jupiter, Fla.
Logged her sixth match of the season with 40+ assists with 46 in a home victory versus Warner. Heide leads both the conference and the NAIA in total assists (698).
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