FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. -- The Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) has announced its Athletes of the Week for the period covering January 12-18. Each week throughout the academic year, the conference recognizes standout performances from student-athletes across its member institutions.
The MIAA Athlete of the Week honors are selected from nominations submitted by head coaches at each school. These awards spotlight the top individual efforts in competition and showcase the high level of play within the conference.
Selections are released every Monday at 4:00 p.m., with the exception of weeks impacted by federal holidays.
MIAA Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Jalen Overway, Calvin University
Center Jalen Overway helped lead the Knights to an 81–47 win at Kalamazoo and an 80–77 victory over Albion. He recorded a double-double in both games, finishing with 25 points and 11 rebounds against the Hornets and 32 points and 11 rebounds versus the Britons. Overway also averaged three assists and two blocks per game while shooting an efficient 21-of-26 (.808) from the field and 15-of-17 (.882) at the free-throw line. He currently leads the MIAA with 135 field goals, 348 points (23.2 points per game), 137 defensive rebounds, 178 total rebounds (11.9 per game), and a .640 field-goal percentage.
MIAA Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week - Maddie Petroelje, Hope College
Sophomore guard/forward Maddie Petroelje helped lead the Flying Dutch to back-to-back league wins with an 84-65 victory at Adrian and a 90-48 win versus Saint Mary's. In 45 total minutes over the week, Petroelje recorded 40 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and an assist while shooting 13-of-21 (.619) from the field, 9-of-15 (.600) from three-point range, and 5-of-6 (.833) at the free-throw line. Petroelje currently leads the MIAA in three-point field-goal percentage at .430 (34-of-79) and is tied-for-third in the league with 34 triples.
MIAA Men's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Cooper Bright, Albion College
Senior Cooper Bright delivered standout performances at Heidelberg’s Larry Brown Invitational on Friday. He placed third in the 60-meter dash—finishing behind Division II competitors—with a personal-best time of 7.02, which ranks among Albion’s all-time top 10. Bright also anchored Albion’s first-place 4x200-meter relay, which won in 1:32.34.
MIAA Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week - Distance Medley Relay, Alma College
The Alma College women’s distance medley relay team of junior Erica Slocum, junior Lauren Brawt, senior Jordan Fox, and senior Sophie Dech won the event at last Friday’s CMU Jack Skoog Invitational with a time of 13:42.94. That performance currently ranks 14th in Division III according to TFRRS.
MIAA Men's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week - Van Norman, Albion College
Sophomore Van Norman competed at Heidelberg's Larry Brown Invitational on Friday. Norman earned a runner-up finish in the shot put with a personal-best toss of 14.23m.
MIAA Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Week - Zara Strauss, Kalamazoo College
Freshman Zara Strauss made her indoor collegiate debut at Trine's Sean Brady Invitational. Strauss placed sixth in the shot put and third among current MIAA student-athletes with a mark of 9.84m. The Hornet's throw surpassed her high school personal best by 0.3 meters.
MIAA Men's Swimming Athlete of the Week - Luke Wyrick, Hope College
Despite not competing solely in his primary events, sophomore Luke Wyrick was the only double-event winner at the longstanding Michigan/Illinois Quad meet over the weekend. He captured the 200 butterfly by more than four seconds with a time of 1:56.75, marking the best performance of his career in the event by over five seconds. Wyrick also earned a victory in the 200 breaststroke, dominating the second half of the race to win by more than a second and a half.
MIAA Women's Swimming Athlete of the Week - Greta Gidley, Hope College
Fifth-year senior Greta Gidley opened the Michigan/Illinois Quad Meet by leading off the record-setting 400 medley relay with a 57.56 split in the 100 backstroke, an event outside her primary focus. With the meet format limiting athletes to three events, Gidley followed by breaking the meet record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:06.12, a record that dated back to at least the 1990s. She closed the meet by leading off the 400 freestyle relay in 51.90, a split that bettered the meet record of former national champion Kirsty Nitz (51.95).
MIAA Men's Diving Athlete of the Week - Carson McIntire, Calvin University
Sophomore Carson McIntire competed on the boards for the second time in his career versus fourth-ranked Chicago on Saturday. McIntire earned a third-place finish in the one-meter dive with a score of 136.80. He followed that with another third-place finish with 128.33 points in the three-meter dive. McIntire led the Knights in both events.
MIAA Women's Diving Athlete of the Week - Wen Wadsworth-Curcuru, Albion College
Junior Wen Wadsworth-Curcuru swept both boards against NAIA Aquinas and Division II Saginaw Valley State, winning the one-meter dive with a score of 284.55 and the three-meter board with a 272.15.
MIAA Wrestling Athlete of the Week - Juwan Vines, The University of Olivet
Junior Juwan Vines had a breakout week competing at 165 pounds. On Thursday, Vines earned a 4-2 decision over Trine senior Laken Webb, the No. 5–ranked wrestler in the NCAA regional. He followed that performance by going 4-1 at the Alma Open to place third, recording two technical falls and two major decisions. His only loss came via an 8-4 decision to GVSU’s Caden Strong, who advanced to the finals.