May 11, 2009

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . The Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) announced today that Simpson College track athlete Lauren Bucklin (Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar) and Buena Vista University track and field athlete Eric Bertelsen (Polk City, Iowa/North Polk) and Wartburg College baseball player Jerrold Martijn (Orangestad, Aruba/Kirkwood CC) have been named the IIAC Female and Male Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sunday, May 10. Each is also the Performer of the Week in their respective sports.

Women’s Outdoor Track & Field – Lauren Bucklin, Simpson College, Bondurant, Iowa/Bondurant-Farrar
Bucklin, a junior, was named Most Valuable Performer at the 2009 Iowa Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships after sweeping titles in the 100- and 400-meter hurdles and running legs on Simpson’s third-place 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays. She set a school and Conference meet record with a blistering 13.92-second pass in the 100 hurdle preliminaries Friday. Bucklin’s mark shattered the mark of 14.32 set by Wartburg’s Lucy Joseph at the 2007 Championships. Bucklin also won the 400 hurdles in 1:03.31. (IIAC Female Athlete of the Week)

Men’s Outdoor Track & Field – Eric Bertelsen, Buena Vista University, Polk City, Iowa/North Polk
Bertelsen, a senior, became the first IIAC male athlete since Central’s Peter Wagner in 2002 and 2003 to be named Most Valuable Performer twice at the Iowa Conference Outdoor Championships. Bertelsen won the long jump, 100- and 200-meter dashes, and anchored Buena Vista’s winning 4x100-meter relay. He captured the long jump with an NCAA automatic qualifying leap of 24-0 ¾, the 100 with a wind-aided time of 10.53 seconds, and the 200 with an NCAA provisional time of 21.71 seconds. Buena Vista’s 4x100 relay edged Wartburg at the tape, winning the race with an NCAA provisional time of 41.54 seconds. (IIAC Male Athlete of the Week)

Baseball – Jerrold Martijn, Wartburg College, Orangestad, Aruba/Kirkwood Community College
Martijn, a senior outfielder/pitcher, compiled a 2-0 with a 3.50 ERA and 20 strikeouts to help lead Wartburg to the Iowa Conference Baseball Tournament Championship. Martijn opened the Knights’ tournament run with a complete game 3-hitter with 12 strikeouts and seven walks in a 12-4 win over Buena Vista. Pitching on one day’s rest, he came back to pitch another complete game, striking out eight in an 8-4 elimination game win over Luther. In 13 at-bats in three games Saturday, Martijn had five hits, including a bunt single, two RBI, and five runs scored. (IIAC Male Athlete of the Week)

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

• Baseball – Wartburg College sophomore outfielder Patrick Grau (Elkader, Iowa/Central) hit .583 in six games at the Iowa Conference Baseball Tournament. He had 14 hits in 24 at-bats, 16 RBI, three doubles, a triple, and two home runs as the Knights posted a 5-1 mark. He was also hit by three pitches, drew three walks, and only struck out once. Grau was also perfect in 20 chances defensively.

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