OXFORD, Ohio - The River States Conference is pleased to announce the Player of the Week honorees for the past week.
All awards represent contests played from Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1.
Men's Basketball Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Parker Penrod, Rio Grande | Junior - Guard - Troy, Ohio
Penrod was lethal from deep in his Rio Grande debut, leading the RedStorm to a victory over No. 22 Madonna. The junior transfer from Ohio Christian scored 34 points, knocking down eight of 14 three-pointers and ten of 18 shots overall. He also made all six of his free throws in the 86-84 win.
Defensive Player of the Week
Eli Meyer, IU Southeast | Senior - Forward - Seymour, Indiana
Meyer was a force on the glass in IU Southeast's two wins over Simmons this past week. The senior had a double-double of 11 points and 14 rebounds in a win on Monday, then added six points, nine rebounds, and four blocked shots in a repeat performance on Saturday.
Women's Basketball Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Denell Jacobs, IU Columbus | Freshman - Guard - Indianapolis, Indiana
Jacobs made the most of her time on the floor in IU Columbus' Tuesday matchup against Grace. The freshman scored 24 points in just 21 minutes on the floor, pulling down six rebounds and swiping two steals. She made nine field goals, including a pair of three-pointers, and was 4-for-5 from the free throw line.
Defensive Player of the Week
Sophia Kline | Senior - Forward - Sugar Grove, Ohio
Kline didn't score in the RedStorm's season opener, but had ten defensive rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocked shots in season-opening win over Rochester Christian. The contest was a rematch of last season's NAIA Tournament First Round game, also won by Rio Grande.
Women's Volleyball Players of the Week
Attacker of the Week
Karla Melendez-Martinez, SMWC | Senior - Outside Hitter - Caguas, Puerto Rico
Karla Melendez Martinez delivered a dominant offensive performance for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, helping the Pomeroys secure a pair of four-set road victories over IU Kokomo and Northwestern Ohio while averaging an impressive 6.57 kills and 7.21 points per set. Melendez Martinez totaled 46 kills across seven sets, hitting .330 on 106 attempts while contributing 50.5 points.
Setter of the Week
Lydia Steyer, Rio Grande | Junior - Setter - Perrysburg, Ohio
Steyer hit a major milestone, and helped Rio Grande secure the RSC East Division championship. Steyer hit the 1,000 assists mark on the week, part of an effort that saw her dish out 110 assists (more than 12 per set) in Rio Grande wins over Kentucky Christian, Cincinnati Clermont, and Ohio Christian.
Defender of the Week
Gaby Fernandez, SMWC | Junior - Libero - Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Gaby Fernandez delivered an outstanding defensive performance for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, helping the Pomeroys secure a pair of four-set road victories over IU Kokomo and Northwestern Ohio while averaging an impressive 6.75 digs per set. Fernandez anchored the SMWC back row throughout the week, totaling 54 digs across eight sets while committing no reception errors in 33 serve-receive opportunities.
Men's Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Joost Hermeling, WVU Tech | Junior - Forward - Rastede, Germany
Hermeling scored three goals across two conference victories for WVU Tech, finishing the week with six points. The junior scored once in a 3-1 win at Midway before adding two goals in a 3-0 victory over Brescia. He finished the week with seven shots, putting six on goal, and recorded one game-winning goal.
Defensive Player of the Week
Ramon Ferrari, WVU Tech | Senior - Goalkeeper - Nova Venécia, Brazil
Ferrari went 2-0 in goal for WVU Tech, playing 155:16 without allowing a goal. He recorded seven saves for a 1.000 save percentage as the Golden Bears earned wins over Midway and Brescia. Ferrari made five saves in 78:45 against Brescia to help Tech secure a 3-0 shutout.
Women's Soccer Players of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week
Lauren Gill, SMWC | Freshman - Left Winger - Leicester, England
Lauren Gill delivered an outstanding offensive performance in the final week of the regular season, scoring five goals across two matches for Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, including a historic four-goal performance in the Pomeroys' 5-1 victory over Kentucky Christian on Senior Day.
Defensive Player of the Week
Irene Saldana, WVU Tech | Freshman - Goalkeeper - Huelva, Spain
Saldana posted back-to-back shutouts as WVU Tech went 2-0 in conference play, earning a 3-0 win at Midway and a 1-0 victory over Brescia. The freshman played all 180 minutes in goal without allowing a goal, recording a 0.00 goals-against average, a 1.000 save percentage and two shutouts.