Contact: Chassidy Holloway, Associate Executive Director, holloway@midwestconference.org
GRINNELL, Iowa – The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced its Performers of the Week award recipients for games played August 26 through September 1, 2024, on Tuesday.
MWC sports information directors nominate student-athletes for the Performer of the Week honor by sport and vote as a committee to select the winners.
For the fall season, Performers of the Week will be recognized every week on Monday (football, soccer) and Tuesday (cross country, women’s tennis, volleyball) once their seasons have been triggered (three MWC institutions competing) and will conclude the week prior to the sport-specific Conference tournament/championship.
The Performer of the Week award winners are as follows:
Men’s Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week
Nicolas Lantzendorffer, Knox College
Nicolas Lantzendorffer opened the season by recording his 14th career shutout in a 1-0 victory at Rockford on Friday — Knox's first in its season opener in seven years — then added a scoreless first half at St. Ambrose University (Iowa) before giving way to his backup for the second half. The fifth-year senior from Guatemala came away with a pair of saves against the Regents and posted four more in his 45 minutes against the Fighting Bees. Lantzendorffer was an Academic All-MWC selection in 2022-23 and an All-MWC First-Team performer as a sophomore in 2021-22.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week
George Archer, Cornell College
Archer added to his school-record scoring total with his 32nd and 33rd career goals, both coming in the first half of Cornell's 3-0 season-opening win at Minnesota Morris. The senior made good on half of his four shot attempts, including a penalty kick.
Women’s Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week
Anna Caster, Monmouth College
Anna Caster played 115 minutes in Monmouth's first two games and allowed 1 goal while making 19 saves. She started and played all 90 minutes of the 1-1 tie against Edgewood, making 15 saves in the process. On Sunday at Buena Vista, Caster played the final 25 minutes and made four saves without allowing a goal in a 2-1 Monmouth loss. She has allowed one goal on 31 shots faced this season, with 19 saves.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week
Eva Plathe, Cornell College
Plathe erupted for four goals and one assist in Cornell's opening 11-0 home rout of Mount Mary. The first year recorded a second-half hat trick and attempted 13 shots in the match. The Rams rolled to their largest margin of victory since 2015.