Contact: Michael Westemeier, Sports Information Director – Ripon College, westemeierm@ripon.edu
 
GRINNELL, Iowa — The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced the 2021-22 Peterson & LeClere award recipients on Friday.
 
Ripon women's track & field student-athlete Payton Rahn is this year's recipient of the Conference's prestigious Ruth Peterson award. The Peterson Award is presented to the MWC female student-athlete who posted the highest-grade point average during her junior year. Rahn is the sixth Ripon student-athlete to win the Peterson award in its 36 years of existence, and third in the last seven years.

An English and Politics & Government double major from Omro, Wis., Rahn is a three-time Academic All-Conference performer. Holding a cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.0, Rahn also won the MWC's prestigious Elite 20 Award during the 2021 Outdoor Track & Field season, given annually to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average, participating in his or her respective sport's culminating championship or tournament event.

Rahn became a conference champion in the 4x400 relay at the 2021 MWC Outdoor Championships. She also won the 400 meters at the Wisconsin Private College Championships earlier that same year.

Ruth Peterson is the former Commissioner of the Midwest Athletic Conference for Women, who went on to serve as the Co-Commissioner of the MWC. Peterson, who was a Beloit College alum and employee, passed away in October of 2006.
 
Ripon College football player Cormac Madigan is this year's recipient of the Conference's prestigious Roy W. LeClere award. The LeClere Award is presented to the MWC male student-athlete who posted the highest-grade point average during his junior year. Madigan is just the second Ripon student-athlete to win the LeClere Award in its 37 years of existence, and the first since 2011.

A Chemistry-Biology major from Rosendale, Wis., Madigan is a two-time Academic All-Conference performer with a cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.0. A three-time All-Conference selection, Madigan was named 2018 MWC Football Newcomer of the Year. He earned MWC Offensive Performer of the Week honors three times this season.

Madigan ranks fourth in Ripon College football history for career rushing touchdowns (33), while also ranking fourth in all-purpose yards (2,979). The school record holder for single game rushing touchdowns (6), Madigan also ranks fifth in program history for career rushing yards (2,871) and eighth in total offensive yards (4,474).

Roy W. LeClere was a collegiate sports enthusiast whose passion for the MWC led friends and co-workers to originally sponsor the award as a memorial in his honor.