December 2, 2002

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today its Male and Female Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sunday, December 1. Wartburg College wrestler Sonny Alvarez (Aledo, Ill./Davenport (Iowa) Assumption HS) was named IIAC Male Athlete of the Week and Simpson College basketball player Ashley Bogaards (Pella, Iowa/Pella HS) was named IIAC Female Athlete of the Week.

Alvarez, a senior ranked #3 in the 184-pound weight class, defeated #2-ranked Rickey Crone of Augsburg, 2-1 in double-overtime. The victory was part of top-ranked Wartburg’s 25-9 win over three-time defending National Champion Augsburg. It marked the first time that Wartburg has defeated Augsburg in Minneapolis and it ended the Auggies dual win streak at 25 straight overall and 71 straight against Division III opponents.

Bogaards, a sophomore forward, averaged 16.0 points per game, shot 66.7 percent from the field and had 14 rebounds and six steals in two games during the week. In a 96-92 double-overtime victory over St. Ambrose University, she scored a career-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 shooting from the free throw line. She also grabbed six rebounds, handed out four assists and had three steals. In an 83-63 victory over the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, Bogaards had 14 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds including seven defensive boards. She also had three steals.

The IIAC also announced on Monday the Players of the Week for the Conference’s three sports in competition during the week. Bogaards and Alvarez earned the weekly honor for their respective sports and Coe College’s Brandon Sain (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson HS) was named men’s basketball Player of the Week.

Sain, a sophomore forward, averaged 22.5 points per game and shot 41.1 percent from the field including 50 percent from three-point land in two contests during the week. In an 87-65 loss to Division I Iowa State University, Sain scored 26 points in 28 minutes. He connected on 5-of-11 three-pointers and grabbed five rebounds to go along with two steals and a blocked shot. In a 92-81 loss to Augustana (Ill.) College, he scored 19 points, grabbed four rebounds, and had an assist and two blocks.

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