March 17, 2003

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today its Male and Female Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sunday, March 16. Coe College softball player Leah Fuhrman (Volga, Iowa/Elkader Central HS) was named IIAC Female Athlete of the Week and Upper Iowa University baseball player Chris Green (Stockton, Calif./AA Stagg HS) was named IIAC Male Athlete of the Week.

Fuhrman, a junior shortstop, hit .563 (9-16) with two doubles and three home runs (1.250 slugging pct.) in five games at the William Woods Challenge Games in Fulton, Mo. She also scored four runs and drove in seven runs to go along with her three multi-hit contests. Fuhrman went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in an 8-3 win over William Woods. She went 3-for-3 with a solo home run in a 4-2 loss to Culver Stockton and went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and 4 RBI in a 6-0 win over Hannibal-LaGrange.

Green, a junior pitcher, tossed two complete games during the week in registering victories over #3 The College of New Jersey (5-4) and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (4-2). In the two contests, he struck out nine batters, walked one and allowed just four earned runs (2.00 ERA). Against TCNJ, he surrendered 12 hits and four runs (two earned), and struck out five batters in nine innings. Against the Merchant Marine Academy, he surrendered nine hits and two earned runs while striking out four and walking one.

The IIAC also announced its Players of the Week for the Conference’s four sports in competition during the week. Green and Fuhrman earned the weekly honor in baseball and softball, while the following individuals were recognized for their athletic performances.

Men’s Golf: Central College junior Patrick McElyea (Elmhurst, Ill./Timothy Christian HS) finished fourth at the South Mountain Invitational in Goodyear, Ariz. He shot a 72, just one shot behind the tournament’s winner in the 25-golfer field. McElyea led Central to a second place finish, two shots behind Division II Grand Canyon University.

Men’s Tennis: Coe College freshman Chris Paasch (Atlantic, Iowa/Atlantic HS) lost just two games in three matches during the week. At #4 singles, he defeated Cornell College’s Zack Heindel, 6-0, 6-2. Paasch teamed with Chris McGrath to post a pair of 8-0 victories in doubles play. They defeated Cornell’s Heindel and Jim Thompson at #2 doubles and Wisconsin-Whitewater’s Ross Johnson and Mark Heller at #3 doubles.

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