Athletes of the Week for September 5, 2023
Women’s Cross Country
Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel — University of Chicago — Montclair, NJ (Montclair)
University of Chicago junior Evelyn Battleson-Gunkel finished first as the Maroons dominated the season-opening University of St. Francis Twilight Invitational on Friday. She completed the five-kilometer course in 17:33.0. UChicago runners captured each of the top six spots.
Men’s Cross Country
Colin McLaughlin — Carnegie Mellon University — Stamford, CT (Westhill)
Carnegie Mellon University junior Colin McLaughlin finished fourth overall at the Panther Open on Friday. He posted a time of 14:26.8 over the five-kilometer course at Schenley Park in Pittsburgh. The Tartans placed second competing against NCAA Division I University of Pittsburgh and NCAA Division II Davis and Elkins College, Slippery Rock University, and West Virginia Wesleyan College.
Women’s Golf
Sharon Mun — Emory University — Duluth, GA (Lambert)
Junior Sharon Mun captured individual honors at the Denison University Lynn Schweizer Invitational to lead Emory University to the team title in the 14-team field. She shot 71 on each day to finish two strokes ahead of runner-up and teammate Esther Jung. The Eagles bested the second-place team by 26 strokes.
Women’s Soccer – Offense
Claire Grover — University of Rochester — Barrington, RI (Barrington)
Senior forward Claire Grover scored three goals on four shots as University of Rochester opened the season with wins over Rochester Institute of Technology and 21st-ranked State University of New York at Cortland. She notched the opening goal in a 3-0 win over the Tigers on Friday and netted both scores in a 2-0 victory over Cortland on Monday.
Women’s Soccer – Defense
Grace Kuropatkin — University of Rochester — Marshfield, MA (Thayer Academy)
Junior goalkeeper Grace Kuropatkin posted a pair of clean sheets as University of Rochester opened the season with wins over Rochester Institute of Technology and 21st-ranked State University of New York at Cortland. She made four saves in a 3-0 win over RIT on Friday and two saves in a 2-0 blanking of the Red Dragons.
Men’s Soccer – Offense
Ryan Yetishefsky — University of Chicago — Edmond, OK (Deer Creek)
University of Chicago senior forward Ryan Yetishefsky scored a hat trick in a 22-minute span to lead the defending NCAA Division III champions to a 4-2 season-opening win over 14th-ranked St. Olaf College. He contributed an assist in the Maroons’ 2-2 draw with eighth-ranked Gustavus Adolphus College in a rematch of the regional final in last year’s NCAA championship.
Men’s Soccer – Defense
Peter Wagner — Emory University — Champaign, IL (Champaign Central)
Emory University senior goalkeeper Peter Wagner stopped eight shots in the Eagles’ scoreless draws with Covenant College and 11th-ranked Washington & Lee University. He stopped three shots against Covenant and then made five saves against the Generals, including a save on a penalty kick in the 14th minute.
Women’s Tennis
Josephine Libby — University of Rochester — Rochester, NY (Pittsford Sutherland)
Junior Josephine Libby of University of Rochester won the “A” Flight singles title for the second consecutive year at the William Smith College Mary Hosking Invitational. The top seed earned a pair of wins on Saturday before recording 8-0 and 8-4 victories in the final two rounds on Sunday.
Volleyball
Jasmine Sells — Washington University — Portland, OR (Lincoln)
Washington University junior outside hitter Jasmine Sells registered 4.71 kills and 15 digs (3.21 digs per set) as the Bears finished 3-1 at their home invitational. She finished with 17 kills and a .316 hitting percentage in a sweep of 23rd-ranked Otterbein University, and totaled a weekend-best 19 kills, hitting .258, and added 14 digs in the Bears’ four-set loss to sixth-ranked Hope College.
Sam Buckley — Washington University — Naperville, IL (Benet Academy)
Washington University sophomore setter Sam Buckley averaged 11.57 assists and 3.79 digs in a 3-1 weekend for the Bears at their home invitational. She totaled 45 assists and 13 digs in a straight-set victory over 23rd-ranked Otterbein University, and 40 assists and 15 digs in a four-set loss to sixth-ranked Hope College.
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.