Five Eagle Student-Athletes Named Great Midwest Athletes Of The Week

A 2022-23 athletic year-high five Ashland University student-athletes were lauded with Great Midwest Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week honors by the league on Monday (Oct. 17) afternoon.
 
Junior defensive end Jeffrey Barnett is the Great Midwest football Defensive Player of the Week, fifth-year setter Zoey Peck (South Division Offensive) and senior middle blocker Anna Krikke (South Division Defensive) swept the conference's volleyball awards, and seniors Abby Locke (women) and Amar Sapcanin (men) earned both of the league's swimming and diving honors.
 
- Barnett led an Eagle defense which allowed just one touchdown overall, and 21 total yards in the second half, as No. 6-ranked Ashland rallied for a 14-7 win over Ohio Dominican on Saturday (Oct. 15) night at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field. He finished with nine total tackles (four solo), two tackles for loss and a sack.
 
This is the second Great Midwest weekly award for Barnett, who has 18 total tackles (nine solo), 4½ tackles for loss and 2½ sacks so far this season.
 
The Eagles (6-0 overall, 4-0 Great Midwest) will play host to Tiffin (4-2, 4-0) in their 98^th Homecoming Game on Saturday (Oct. 22) at 1 p.m. – a game for the outright lead in the Great Midwest standings.
 
- Peck led Ashland's offense in a 2-1 weekend at the Midwest Region Crossover (3-0 wins over Indianapolis and Michigan Tech, 3-2 loss to Quincy), finishing with 127 assists (11.55 per set), four kills, one service ace, 25 digs and seven block assists, and earning all-tournament honors.
 
This season, Peck has 795 assists (10.32 per set), 39 kills, eight service aces, 179 digs and 37 total blocks.
 
- Krikke broke the program record for single-match block assists with 11 against Quincy, and overall at the Crossover, also made all-tournament team after collecting 21 total blocks, 26 kills, one assist and two digs.
 
In 2022, Krikke has racked up 153 kills, a team-high .313 hitting percentage, and 84 total blocks (16 solo).
 
This is the first Great Midwest weekly honor for both Peck and Krikke.
 
Ashland volleyball, receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division II coaches poll and the only Midwest Region team undefeated in conference play (18-6 overall, 11-0 Great Midwest), will return to league action on Friday (Oct. 21) at 7 p.m. at Trevecca Nazarene (16-8, 8-3).
 
- Locke earned wins on Saturday at the Oberlin tri-meet in the 200 individual medley (2:14.65), 100 breaststroke (1:08.27), and 200 breaststroke (2:29.98), and was part of the third-place women's 400 freestyle relay (3:58.33).
 
- Sapcanin on Saturday won in the men's 200 breaststroke (2:10.81) and men's 100 breaststroke (59.53 seconds) individually, and as part of the men's 400 medley relay (3:40.38) and men's 200 medley relay (1:38.27). He also was second in the men's 800 free relay (7:33.57) and third in the men's 500 free (4:56.45).
 
Ashland's men and women will play host to their first meet at Messerly Natatorium in 2022-23 on Oct. 29 at 1 p.m. vs. Wayne State.
  - Sept. 6, 2022 – Erin Krupar (volleyball), Bri Rogers (women's soccer), Katie Thompson (volleyball)
- Sept. 12, 2022 – Bailey Clark (women's soccer), Katie Thompson (volleyball)
- Sept. 19, 2022 – Makenna Belcher (volleyball)
- Sept. 26, 2022 – Makenna Belcher (volleyball), A.J. Rhodes (football), Katie Thompson (volleyball)
- Oct. 3, 2022 – Ty Bowden (men's soccer), Austin Brenner (football), McKinley Mendenhall (women's soccer), Bri Rogers (women's soccer)
- Oct. 10, 2022 – McKinley Mendenhall (women's soccer), Bri Rogers (women's soccer), Stephanie Smith (volleyball)
- Oct. 17, 2022 – Jeffrey Barnett (football), Anna Krikke (volleyball), Abby Locke (swimming and diving), Zoey Peck (volleyball), Amar Sapcanin (swimming and diving)