March 1, 2004

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Loras College track and field performers Rachel Hutchins (Bernard, Iowa/Cascade HS) and Dan Winder (Waterloo, Iowa/West HS) were named IIAC Female and Male Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sunday, February 29.

Hutchins, a senior, was named the Most Valuable Performer at the Iowa Conference Indoor Track Championship, leading the Duhawks to a second place finish. Hutchins finished in the top-five of five events including a first-place finish in the 55-meter hurdles (8.39 seconds). She also placed second in 4x200 relay (1:45.50), third in the 400-meter dash (59.71), fourth in the long jump (17-3.25) and fifth in the 200-meter dash (26.72).

Winder, a junior, was named the Most Valuable Performer at the Iowa Conference Indoor Track Championship, leading the Duhawks to a second place finish. Winder won the 1500-meter (4:03.08) and 3000-meter (8:31.2) runs. He won the 3000-meters by nearly six seconds and shaved over nearly seven seconds off the Conference record set last year.

The IIAC also announced on Monday its Players of the Week for the Conference’s five sports in competition during the week. Hutchins and Winder earned the weekly honor for women’s and men’s track and field, while the following individuals were recognized for their athletic performances.

Women’s Basketball: Buena Vista University sophomore guard Katie Maguire (Treynor, Iowa/Treynor HS) averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game in leading Buena Vista to the Iowa Conference basketball tournament title. In victories over Coe (77-53), Loras (69-58) and Wartburg (75-64) she shot 41.2 percent from the floor (14-of-34) including 47.1 percent from three-point range (8-of-17). In the quarterfinals against Coe, she scored 11 points, grabbed four rebounds (2-2), and had seven assists and two steals. Against Loras in the semifinals, Maguire scored 16 points including 4-of-6 from three-point range, grabbed eight rebounds (1-7), and had seven assists and two steals. In the Championship game against Wartburg, she scored a game-high 21 points to go along with three rebounds (1-3) and four assists.

Men’s Basketball: Buena Vista University senior center Scott Weber (Audubon, Iowa/Audubon HS) averaged 21.0 points and 8.0 rebounds per game in leading the Beavers to their third straight Iowa Conference tournament title. In victories over Luther (74-48), Coe (94-69) and Wartburg (70-48), he shot 63.9 percent from the floor (23-of-36). Against Luther in the quarterfinals, he scored 25 points on 10-of-13 shooting to go along with four rebounds (1-3), two steals and one assist. In the semifinals against Coe, he scored 21 points (7-of-10 shooting), grabbed eight rebounds (6-2), and had an assist and a steal. In the Championship game against Wartburg, Weber scored 17 points, grabbed 12 rebounds (6-6), and had three steals and two assists.

Men’s Tennis: Coe College senior Nick Barnes (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington HS) went 4-0 during the week, his third straight week with at least four victories. In singles, he defeated Wisconsin-Oshkosh’s Todd Miller, 6-1, 6-2 and Wheaton (Ill.)’s Brock Schluster, 6-2, 6-0. In doubles, he teamed with Chad Evans to register 8-1 victories over the Wisconsin-Oshkosh team of Joel Vedder/Josh Hardel and the Wheaton team of Graham Johnson/Joe Wu.

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