Athletes of the Week for November 20, 2017
Women’s Cross Country
Khia Kurtenbach — University of Chicago — Germantown, WI (Germantown)
Senior Khia Kurtenbach of University of Chicago won the 2017 NCAA Division III Women’s Cross Country Championship individual title, topping the 279-runner field. Her six-kilometer time of 20:39.20 bested the runner-up by six seconds. Kurtenbach became the second Maroon women’s runner to earn a national title, joining Rhaina Echols (1999).
Men’s Cross Country
David O’Gara — Washington University — Glenview, IL (Glenbrook South)
Senior David O’Gara of Washington University finished ninth at the NCAA Division III Men’s Cross Country Championship in Elsah, Illinois. His time of 24:36.50 earned him his second All-America honor and helped lead the Bears to a fifth-place team finish.
Football – Offense
Aaron Aguilar — Case Western Reserve University — Orange, CA (Orange)
Case Western Reserve University senior running back Aaron Aguilar ran 27 times for 136 yards and three touchdowns, all career-highs, against one of the best rushing defenses in the nation. Aguilar’s performance helped the Spartans blank 11th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University 28-0 in the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship on Saturday. Entering the game with just nine carries and 48 yards all season, Aguilar scored on a three-yard fumble return with 1:31 left in the first half and then scored on runs of 33 and five yards in snowy conditions in the second half. Illinois Wesleyan had allowed only one rushing touchdown and 49.5 rushing yards per game in the regular season.
Football – Defense
Cody Calhoun — Case Western Reserve University — Columbus, OH (Bishop Watterson)
Case Western Reserve University senior safety Cody Calhoun recorded six tackles, including four solo, and blocked a punt with 3:31 left in the first half to lead to the Spartans’ first touchdown in a 28-0 win at Illinois Wesleyan University in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. The Spartan defense limited Illinois Wesleyan to 185 total yards and recorded its first shutout since Sept. 17, 2016.
Football – Special Teams
Justin Phan — Case Western Reserve University — Atlanta, GA (Greater Atlanta Christian)
Junior Justin Phan notched a key punt return in the second half that helped 16th-ranked Case Western Reserve University pull away from 11th-ranked Illinois Wesleyan University in a 28-0 victory in the first round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. In his only return of the game with snow falling and a heavy coating on the field, Phan returned a punt 33 yards to the Titans’ 42-yard line with 9:19 to play, setting up a drive leading to the Spartans’ second touchdown.
Women’s Soccer – Offense
Jenna McKinney — University of Chicago — Tampa, FL (Henry B. Plant)
Junior midfielder Jenna McKinney scored a goal in each of two University of Chicago wins in the sectional round of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship. The two-time UAA Most Valuable Player helped the Maroons reach the national semifinals for the fifth time in program history with her goals in a 2-0 win over Wheaton College (IL) and a 4-0 victory over University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.
Women’s Soccer – Defense
Whitley Cargile — University of Chicago — Nashville, TN (University School of Nashville)
Senior center back Whitley Cargile helped orchestrate a pair of University of Chicago shutouts as the Maroons advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship for the fifth time in program history. She led the defensive effort that allowed a combined nine shots, five on goal, in a 2-0 win over Wheaton College (IL) and a 4-0 victory over University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse.
Men’s Soccer – Offense
Michael Carragher — Emory University — Glencoe, IL (New Trier Township)
Senior forward Michael Carragher scored twice and assisted on the other goal as Emory posted a 1-0-1 record in the sectional round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship. He scored once and assisted on a goal in the Eagles’ 2-1 win over University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and then tallied the game-tying score in the second half of a 1-1 draw with host University of Chicago. Carragher converted his penalty kick, but the Eagles fell 5-3 in the tiebreaker.
Max Lopez — University of Chicago — Tulsa, OK (Cascia Hall)
Junior forward Max Lopez scored goals in both games in the sectional round of the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship as the Maroons advanced to the national semifinals for the second time in program history. He tallied a goal in a 2-0 win over top-ranked and previously undefeated Calvin College and netted the Maroons’ regulation score in a 1-1 draw with Emory University. He converted his penalty kick, to help the Maroons win 5-3.
Men’s Soccer – Defense
Ben Woodhouse — Brandeis University — Suffield, CT (Suffield)
Brandeis University senior goalkeeper Ben Woodhouse posted two shutouts as the Judges defeated both Drew University and defending national champion Tufts University 1-0 to advance to the NCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Championship semifinals for the second consecutive year. He made two saves against Drew and then stopped seven shots in nearly 109 minutes of play against the host Jumbos.
Women’s Basketball
Lauren Deming — University of Rochester — Waterloo, NY (Waterloo)
Senior forward Lauren Deming was named Most Valuable Player of the Chuck Resler Invitational as University of Rochester won its own tournament. She hit three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as the Yellowjackets stormed back from a 17-point deficit to hand fifth-ranked Thomas More College its first regular season loss since 2012. Deming averaged 18.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 48.1 percent from the field (13-for-27) and 44.0 percent (4-of-9) from three-point range.
Men’s Basketball
Ethan Feldman — NYU — New York, NY (The Salisbury School)
Junior guard Ethan Feldman began his NYU career by shooting 70.0 percent from three-point range (7-for-10) and posting back-to-back 20-point efforts as the Violets split two games. He scored 26 points, hitting nine of 10 field goals and four of five 3-pointers, in an 80-77 win over College of Mount Saint Vincent. Feldman connected on seven of 10 field goals and tallied 20 points in the Violets’ 93-83 loss to Haverford College.
Kevin Kucera — Washington University — Evanston, IL (Loyola Academy)
Senior point guard Kevin Kucera was named the Robert L. Burnes Most Valuable Player of the 34th Annual Lopata Classic after leading ninth-ranked Washington University to a pair of home victories. He averaged 20.0 points, 9.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game, including a 21-point, 10-assist effort in a 98-94 victory over sixth-ranked Tufts University in the championship game. He shot 51.9 percent (14-for-27) from the field and hit eight of 10 free throws.
Women’s Fencing
Joanne Carminucci — Brandeis University — Brewster, NY (North Salem)
Junior Joanne Carminucci finished 16-1 in the foil as Brandeis University competed in its first Northeast Fencing Conference Meet of the season Saturday at Brown University. The Judges finished 6-1 as a team, with the foil squad going undefeated, to end the weekend in a four-way tie for first place in the NFC.
Men’s Fencing
Leon Rotenstein — Brandeis University — Ashland, MA (Ashland)
Brandeis University sophomore Leon Rotenstein finished 7-0 in the sabre at the first Northeast Fencing Conference Meet of the season Saturday at Brown University. One of his victories was over a 2017 NCAA qualifier and New England champion from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The sabre squad finished 5-0, losing just four bouts all day, as the Judges won all five team matches to begin defense of their NFC men’s title.
Women’s Swimming and Diving
Margaret Wolfson — University of Chicago — Kensington, MD (Walter Johnson)
First-year swimmer Margaret Wolfson broke two University of Chicago records and provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division III Women’ Swimming and Diving Championships in each as the Maroons dominated their own Phoenix Fall Classic. She eclipsed the program mark in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:04.52) and the 200-yard breaststroke (2:17.99) with both times ranking among the top five times in NCAA Division III this season. Wolfson also swam on the Maroons’ victorious 400-yard freestyle relay and 200- and 400-yard medley relays.
Agnes Lo — University of Chicago — Fremont, CA (Mission San Jose)
University of Chicago sophomore Agnes Lo swept the one- and three-meter diving events as the Maroons hosted the 13-team Phoenix Fall Classic. She earned NCAA Division III Regional Diving Championship qualifying marks in both events with scores of 462.15 on the one-meter board and 493.00 in the three-meter event. Lo won the two events by a combined 101.35 points.
Men’s Swimming and Diving
Byrne Litschgi — University of Chicago — Tampa, FL (Jesuit)
Sophomore Byrne Litschgi broke three University of Chicago records to lead the Maroons to the team title at their 12-team Phoenix Fall Classic. He swam the top times this season in NCAA Division III in the 100-yard backstroke (48.70 seconds) as part of the Maroons’ program record 400-yard medley relay (3:16.87). Litschgi provisionally qualified for the NCAA Division III Men’ Swimming and Diving Championships in the 200-yard backstroke (1:46.20) and the 200-yard individual medley (1:51.94, which ranks third in Division III this season).
Gabe Bamforth — Carnegie Mellon University — Cambridge, MA (Cambridge Rindge & Latin School)
Carnegie Mellon University junior Gabe Bamforth set two pool records and earned NCAA Division III Regional Diving Championship qualifying marks on both boards in the Tartans’ diving invitational. He posted scores of 473.55 on the one-meter board and 496.85 in the three-meter event.
Wrestling
Nick Carola — University of Chicago — Amston, CT (Hotchkiss School)
After missing the previous 21 months due to injury, University of Chicago sophomore Nick Carola returned to competition and posted a 6-0 record this past week. He scored a 12-1 major decision against Elmhurst College in the Maroons’ 31-9 dual meet victory. Carola finished 5-0 at the Concordia University Open to earn the tournament title at 174 pounds, recording four decisions wins and one sudden victory triumph. He defeated an opponent from NCAA Division II University of Wisconsin-Parkside in the final.
Athlete of the Week selections are drawn from nominees submitted by member institution coaches and sports information directors. UAA Athletes of the Week are selected in each sport in which the UAA sponsors competition. They are selected on the basis of their individual performances and contributions to team efforts during the past week in both Association and non-Association competition.