December 27, 2005

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Simpson College basketball player Heather Kay (Walnut, Iowa/Walnut) and Wartburg College wrestler Tyler Hubbard (Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs) have been named the IIAC Female and Male Athletes of the Week for the period of December 12-25. The Conference also announced the Performers of the Week for each of the Conference’s five sports in competition during the week.

Women’s Basketball – Heather Kay, Simpson College, Walnut, Iowa/Walnut
Kay, a senior forward, averaged 11.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in two games. She shot 40.0 percent (6-of-15) from the floor, including 75.0 percent (3-of-4) from behind the 3-point arc, and 66.7 percent (8-of-12) from the free throw line in a loss to #9-ranked Scranton (71-54) and a victory over Bates (82-71) at the adidas/D-3 Desert Shootout in Las Vegas, Nev. In a losing effort, Kay scored 12 points (on 3-of-9 shooting), had five rebounds (2-3), three assists and two steals. She recorded a double-double the third-place game against Bates, scoring 11 points (on 3-of-6 shooting) and grabbing 12 rebounds (2-10) to go along with five assists, a steal and a block.

Wrestling – Tyler Hubbard, Wartburg College, Blue Springs, Mo./Blue Springs
Hubbard, a senior 125-pounder, went 3-0 at the Desert Duals with each victory coming against nationally ranked opponents. Hubbard pinned Elmhurst’s Tom Gagan, the #6-ranked wrestler in the weight class, and recorded decisions over the #3 and #4-ranked wrestlers, Ohio Northern’s Ty Klofta (4-1) and Johnson and Wales’ Brandon McDonough (7-5), respectively.

Men’s Basketball – Kyle Kuenstling, Coe College, Dunkerton, Iowa/Dunkerton
Kuenstling, a sophomore forward, averaged 18.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists in three games. He shot 67.7 percent (21-of-31) from the floor, including 57.1 percent (4-of-7) from behind the 3-point arc, and was perfect on eight free throw attempts in victories over Chicago (67-50), Benedictine (75-68) and Clarke (78-73). Kuenstling scored 19 points (on 9-of-13 shooting), grabbed seven rebounds (1-6), had five assists and a block against Chicago. In the Benedictine contest, he scored 15 points (on 4-of-7 shooting), grabbed seven rebounds (1-6), had four assists and a steal. He concluded the week with a season-high 20 points (on 8-of 11 shooting) against Clarke, again grabbing seven rebounds (1-6) to go along with three assists and two blocks.

Women’s Swimming & Diving – Megan Verbrugge, Coe College, Sioux Falls, S.D./Lincoln
Verbrugge, a senior, won three events in Coe’s dual victory over Morningside (139-74) to give her a team-best eight first-place finishes this year. She won the 200-yard individual medley (2:19.31), the 500-yard freestyle (5:25.47) and anchored the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:59.11, 58.20 split).

Men’s Swimming & Diving – Paul Munson, Coe College, Walton, Ind./Lewis-Cass
Munson, a senior, won both diving events in a 104-71 dual loss to Morningside. He scored a 196.15 on the 1-meter board and a 142.15 on the 3-meter board.

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

• Central College senior guard Analee Gray (Iowa Falls, Iowa/Iowa Falls) scored 23 points and grabbed seven rebounds in a 63-61 loss to Elmhurst. Gray shot 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from the floor, including 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point arc, and connected on all three free throw attempts.

• Central College senior guard Chris Nelson (Jefferson, Iowa/Jefferson) scored a career-high 26 points and led the Dutch from a 12-point second half deficit to defeat MacMurray (97-91) on the road. He shot 81.8 percent (9-of-11) from the floor, including 83.3 percent (5-of-6) from behind the 3-point arc, connected on 3-of-4 free throws, grabbed six rebounds (1-5) and had four assists.

• Wartburg College senior guard Jason Steege (Fredericksburg, Iowa/Fredericksburg) averaged 16.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in two games. He shot 35.0 percent (7-of-20) from the floor, including 30.8 percent (4-of-13) from behind the 3-point arc, and 93.8 percent (15-of-16) from the free throw line as the #15-ranked Knights won its bracket at the adidas/D-3 Desert Shootout with victories over Mary Washington (74-66) and #25-ranked Wisconsin-Oshkosh (65-57).

• Coe College junior 149-pounder Jared Creason (Indianola, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar) went 4-0 at the Desert Duals with three pins and a major decision.

• Simpson College senior Dustin Brewer (Kansas City, Mo./Oak Park) went 4-0 at the Desert Duals with three technical falls and a major decision wrestling three matches at 141-pounds and one at 149-pounds.

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