January 16, 2006

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Simpson College basketball player Katelyn Whiton (Panora, Iowa/Perry) and Wartburg College wrestler Dustin Hinschberger (Belle Plaine, Iowa/Belle Plaine) have been named the IIAC Female and Male Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sunday, January 15. The Conference also announced the Performers of the Week for each of the Conference’s seven sports in competition during the week.

Women’s Basketball – Katelyn Whiton, Simpson College, Panora, Iowa/Perry
Whiton, a sophomore forward, averaged 17.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.3 assists in three games during the week. She shot 57.5 percent (23-of-40) from the floor and 63.6 percent (7-of-11) from the free throw line in victories over Coe (70-47), Wartburg (75-50) and Cornell (75-47) as Simpson improved to 6-0 in Conference-play. Whiton scored 14 points (on 6-of-15 shooting), had six rebounds, a steal and a block against Coe. She scored 18 points (on 9-of-10 shooting), had seven rebounds, five steals and two assists against Wartburg. Whiton finished the week with a double-double against Cornell, scoring 21 points (on 8-of-15 shooting) and grabbing 10 rebounds. She also had two assists and a steal.

Wrestling – Dustin Hinschberger, Wartburg College, Belle Plaine, Iowa/Belle Plaine
Hinschberger, a senior, was named Outstanding Wrestler at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals after posting a 3-0 record with two major decisions and two victories over ranked wrestlers. Hinschberger, the top-ranked wrestler in the 141-pound class, won major decisions over #8-ranked Travis Grawin of Luther (11-3), and Augsburg’s Josh Hansen (12-2). Hinschberger won by decision over #2-ranked Dustin Brewer of Simpson (5-2).

Men’s Basketball – Jason Steege, Wartburg College, Fredericksburg, Iowa/Fredericksburg
Steege, a senior guard, averaged 20.0 points, 3.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 1.3 steals in three games during the week. He shot 50.0 percent (16-of-32) from the floor, including 52.6 percent (10-of-19) from behind the 3-point arc, and 78.3 percent from the free throw line (18-of-23) in victories over Central (96-81), Simpson (68-51) and Dubuque (75-65). Steege scored 20 points (on 6-of-13 shooting), grabbed four rebounds, had four assists and two steals against Central. He scored 17 points (on 4-of-10 shooting), had four assists, two steals and a rebound against Simpson. He finished the week with 23 points (on 6-of-9 shooting), four rebounds and two assists against Dubuque.

Women’s Swimming & Diving – Lauren Lehenbauer, Loras College, Davenport, Iowa/Bettendorf
Lehenbauer, a freshman, won four events, set two school records and finished third on two relays at the University of Chicago Invitational to lead Loras to a third-place team finish. She set a school record in winning the 500-yard freestyle (5:14.76) and the 200-yard butterfly (2:14.60). She also won the 400-yard individual medley (4:48.83) and was a member of the winning 800-yard freestyle relay (8:15.27). Lehenbauer was a member of the third-place 400-yard freestyle (3:55.09) and 400-yard medley (4:18.93) relay teams.

Men’s Swimming & Diving – Cameron Webb, Luther College, Carroll, Iowa/Carroll
Webb, a freshman, won six events and finished second in another at the Grinnell Invitational to lead Luther to the team title by 70 points over host Grinnell. Webb won three individual freestyle events – the 200-yard (1:45.86), 500-yard (4:55.52) and 1650-yard (17:28.11). He was also a member of the winning 200-yard freestyle (1:28.79), 200-yard medley (1:39.18) and 800-yard freestyle (7:23.04) relay teams. Webb finished second in the 100-yard freestyle (49.11).

Women’s Track & Field – Caroline Capper, Simpson College, Washington, Iowa/Washington
Capper, a senior, won the weight throw and shot put at the Graceland Invitational. Her throw of 48-9 in the weight throw broke her own school record and provisionally qualified her for the NCAA Championship. She won the shot put with a throw of 37-0.5.

Men’s Track & Field – Robert Delsing, Simpson College, Iowa City, Iowa/City
Delsing, a senior, won the weight throw and finished fifth in the shot put at the Graceland Invitational with throws of 47-7.25 and 37-0.75, respectively.

Other Outstanding Weekly Performers
The IIAC also recognized the following outstanding athletic performances from the past week.

• Loras College sophomore guard/forward Natalie Pucci (West Dundee, Ill./Jacobs) averaged 18.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.7 assists during the week, while shooting 47.5 percent (19-of-40) from the floor and 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the free throw line in victories over Central and Dubuque and a loss to Luther. She equaled her career-high with 22 points against Central.

• Wartburg College sophomore forward Elizabeth Campbell (Rockford, Iowa/RR-MR) averaged 17.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists during the week, while shooting 56.3 percent (18-of-32) from the floor and 84.6 percent (11-of-13) from the free throw line in victories over Central and Dubuque and a loss to Simpson. She recorded double-doubles in both wins (13 points, 11 rebounds vs. Central and 29 points, 13 rebounds vs. Dubuque).

• Coe College sophomore forward Kyle Kuenstling (Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton) averaged 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.0 blocks during the week, while shooting 50.0 percent (20-of-40) from the floor in victories over Simpson, Central and Luther. He recorded a double-double (18 points, 11 rebounds) against Central and scored a career-high 22 points against Luther.

• Buena Vista University junior Ben Strandberg (Emmetsburg, Iowa/Emmetsburg) went 6-0 during the week at 197-pounds including 5-0 at the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. Strandberg had a fall, a major decision and two decisions over nationally ranked wrestlers (#5 Dan Fiecke of St. John’s and #6 John Ugaste of Cornell).

• Loras College sophomore Jay Figgins (Clinton, Iowa/Clinton) went 5-0 during the week with four falls and a major decision to lead the Duhawks’ to the championship at the Budd Whitehill Division III Duals at Lycoming College.

 

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