December 9, 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 8. Wartburg College wrestler Bart Mehlert (LaPorte City, Iowa/Union HS) was selected IIAC Male Athlete of the Week and Buena Vista University basketball player Amy Meggers (Manilla, Iowa/I-K-M HS) was selected IIAC Female Athlete of the Week.

Mehlert, a 149-pound junior, finished second in his weight class at the University of Northern Iowa Open in a field of predominantly NCAA Division I wrestlers. He posted a 5-1 record with two falls at the Open including a 2-1 record and a pin against Division I wrestlers. Mehlert pinned Nebraska-Omaha’s Brandon Winkey at 2:47 in the first round and followed that with a pin at 1:45 of Southern Illinois’ Matt Warren. In the third round he recorded a 7-3 victory over Dickinson’s Luke May. Mehlert’s quarterfinal and semifinal victories were a 6-4 decision of Wisconsin-Madison’s Tyler Turner and a 7-3 decision over Minnesota-State Mankato’s Houston Hisek. His lone defeat, in the finals, was a 2-1 loss to Northern Iowa’s Jon Garvin.

Meggers, a junior forward, led Buena Vista to an 87-64 victory over nationally ranked Wartburg College. She led the way with 25 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-4 from behind the three-point arc. She also converted on 2-of-4 from the free throw line. Meggers grabbed eight rebounds (2 offensive, 6 defensive), had three steals, one assist and one block in 32 minutes of play. She has led her team in scoring in each of its four games, averaging 22.0 points per game in less than 29 minutes.

The IIAC also announced on Monday its Players of the Week for each of the Conference’s three sports in competition during the week. Mehlert and Meggers earned the honors for their respective sports and Simpson College’s Jesse Harris (Clive, Iowa/Valley HS) was named IIAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week.

Harris, a senior forward, averaged 19.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in two contests during the week. In the Conference opener against Upper Iowa, he scored 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting. He was perfect on three free throws and two three-pointers. He also had one rebound and one steal in 25 minutes. In a 92-70 victory over Grand View, he scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the floor and 5-of-5 shooting from the line. He had eight rebounds (1 offensive, 7 defensive) and two assists in 26 minutes.

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