MIDDLETOWN, Ohio - The River States Conference is pleased to announce the Player of the Week honorees for the past week.
Basketball awards represent contests played from Monday, December 23 through Sunday, January 5. Indoor track awards represent all performances for the season to date.
Men's Basketball Players of the Week
Defensive Player of the Week
Shon Tupuola, St. Mary-of-the-Woods | So. - Center - Brownsburg, Indiana
Tupuola recorded 18 rebounds and scored 15 points in a home victory over IU-Southeast on Saturday. His defensive prowess included foyr blocked shots, and 13 of the sophomore's 18 rebounds came on the defensive end. The sophomore center's efforts helped the Pomeroys to a 69-58 victory over the Grenadiers in the first conference matchup of the new year.
Offensive Player of the Week
Max Newman, IU Kokomo | Sr. - Forward - Monrovia, Indiana
Max Newman was dominant over Christmas break, recording double-doubles in all three games while totaling at least 16 points and 13 rebounds. Max played 34+ minutes in each game, averaging six offensive rebounds per game over this stretch and 15.7 total. Newman's best game of the stretch came in a 90-88 win over Cumberland, where he scored 28 and tallied 17 boards.
Women's Basketball Players of the Week
Defensive Player of the Week
A'Lyrica Hughes, Midway | Fr. - Guard - Owensboro, Kentucky
Hughes continues to be a force at both ends of the floor for Midway. The freshman logged 12 steals in games against Lourdes and IU East, and currently sits sixth in the country with 4.0 steals per-game. The Owensboro native had a 21-point, 10-rebound, seven-assists performance Saturday in a win over IU East.
Offensive Player of the Week
Marissa Austin, Oakland City | Sr. - Guard - Slaughters, Kentucky
Austin came up big for the Mighty Oaks, who moved to 2-0 in RSC play with an 84-71 victory over IU Kokomo on Saturday. The senior guard knocked down seven of her nine three-point attempts, scoring 25 points to lead the way for Oakland City. The senior was also active on the defensive end, grabbing seven rebounds and recording four steals.
Indoor Track Athletes of the Week
Male Track Athlete of the Week
Carson Milner, Midway | So. - Walton, Kentucky
Milner took first and ran a new meet record in the mile at the Centre First Chance meet, held on December 7. Milner's time of 4:24.04 checked in first by almost four seconds at Centre. Milner's adjusted time of 4:20.72 currently ranks second in the River States Conference entering 2025.
Male Field Athlete of the Week
Cole Sexton, Midway | Jr. - Catlettsburg, Kentucky
Sexton won and set a new program record in the weight throw on his first throw of the season at the Centre First Chance meet, held December 7. The junior logged a long throw of 14.37 meters, the top throw of the 20 athletes in attendance. Sexton currently ranks in the top six in the conference in both the shot put and the weight throw.
Female Track Athlete of the Week
Grace Forrest, Rio Grande | Jr. - Woodstock, Ohio
Forrest essentially punched her ticket to the NAIA Indoor Nationals on December 6, shattering the NAIA "A" standard with a time of 14:56.61 in the 3000 meter race walk. Forrest's time ranks second in the nation in the event, and is the top time in the River States Conference this season.
Female Field Athlete of the Week
Sydney Duncan, IU Kokomo | So. - Anderson, Indiana
Two-time All-American sophomore thrower Sydney Duncan wowed in her first meet of the year on December 13th, beating out NCAA DI competition by 3.3 meters with the furthest mark by a female NAIA student-athlete since 2005. She earned USTFCCCA NAIA National Athlete of the Week honors for her performance, and is currently the top ranked shot put thrower in the nation.