October 17, 2005

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Central College football player Vance Schuring (Pella, Iowa/Pella) and Simpson College volleyball player Jessica Martin (Toledo, Iowa/South Tama) have been named the IIAC Male and Female Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sunday, October 16. The Conference also announced the Players of the Week in six Conference sports in competition during the week.

Football – Vance Schuring, Central, Pella, Iowa/Pella
Schuring, a sophomore running back, totaled 184 yards of total offense and 183 all-purpose yards in Central’s 40-35 victory over Luther. Included in his yardage was a career-high 172 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 27 carries as he went over the 100-yard rushing mark for the sixth time in seven games. Schuring also had one reception for 11 yards and completed his only pass attempt for a 12-yard touchdown.

Volleyball – Jessica Martin, Simpson, Toledo, Iowa/South Tama
Martin, a junior middle hitter, hit .361, averaged 3.56 kills, 3.11 digs and posted three double-doubles in five matches during the week. In a 3-0 Conference victory over Loras, she hit .625, had 11 kills and 13 digs. She hit .500 with 10 kills and nine digs in a 3-0 loss to Biola, the 21st-ranked team in the NAIA. In a four-game upset victory over #6 LaVerne, Martin had 15 kills and 11 digs, posting a .308 hitting percentage. She had 17 kills, 20 digs and three blocks with a .341 hitting percentage in a 3-2 victory over Redlands, and finished the week with 11 kills, four aces, three digs and three blocks in a 3-0 win over LaSierra.

Men’s Cross Country – Ben Grant, Loras, Peosta, Iowa/Western Dubuque
Grant, a sophomore, was the top collegiate finisher and finished third overall at Loras College’s Dr. Robert Tucker Invitational. He finished the 67-runner race in 26:21, 11-seconds ahead of the next collegiate runner.

Women’s Cross Country – Jen Wendt, Simpson, Bettendorf, Iowa/Pleasant Valley
Wendt, a senior, won her third race of the year as she posted a 12-second victory at Loras College’s Dr. Robert Tucker Invitational. She finished the 64-runner race in 23:16.40.

Men’s Soccer – Dustin Bonnett, Buena Vista, Pierre, S.D./T.F. Riggs
Bonnett, a junior forward, scored five goals and added one assist for 11 points in three games during the week. He scored twice, including the game winner, in a 5-0 victory over Coe. He scored all three Buena Vista goals in a 3-3 tie with Dubuque and finished the week with an assist in a 3-2 double-overtime loss to St. John’s (Minn.).

Women’s Soccer – Jessica Archer, Wartburg, Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln
Archer, a sophomore goalkeeper, extended her shutout streak to 203-minutes with a shutout against Simpson (4-0) and a combined shutout against Cornell (5-0). She made two saves in each game and handed Simpson its first Conference loss of the season.

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

• Cornell College sophomore linebacker Chris Gustafson (Lakewood, Colo./Bear Creek) had 13 tackles (six solo), two interceptions and a forced fumble in the Rams’ 25-21 victory over Dubuque. Both interceptions came in Cornell territory – in the first quarter at the Rams’ 25 yard line and with 4:37 left in the game at the Rams’ 38.

• Wartburg College sophomore defensive back Nick Weber (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Xavier) had six tackles, two interceptions and averaged 17.7 yards on three punt returns in the Knights’ 17-14 win over Coe. Both of his interceptions came in the Wartburg end zone, the second coming in the final minute of play after Coe had recovered an on-side kick.

• Simpson College senior forward Angel Salcido (Cd. Juarez, Mexico, LPI) scored two goals including the game winner in a 3-0 victory over Luther, and assisted on the Storm’s lone goal in a 2-1 loss to Wartburg.

• Central College sophomore middle hitter Katie Johnson (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) averaged 2.15 kills, 0.77 digs and 1.00 blocks per game, and hit .460 in five matches during the week as the Dutch went 5-0, including a first-place finish at the Wellesley College Invitational.

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