Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
HILBERT, Wisconsin – The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced its Performers of the Week award recipients for games played October 5-11, 2026, 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:
Women’s Tennis Performer of the Week
Kayla Surpless, Grinnell College
Surpless went a perfect 4-for-4 in leading Grinnell to its eighth MWC title in a row and hosting rights for next spring’s league tournament. Surpless and Sofia Bolanos, playing at the No. 1 doubles slot, posted consecutive 6-4 decisions over Monmouth College and Illinois College. Surpless added a 6-1, 6-0 victory at No. 4 singles against Monmouth and won 6-0, 6-1 at No. 5 singles at IC. Her efforts helped GC stretch its winning streak against league foes to 62, dating back to the 2018-19 season. Grinnell has won 10 league titles since 2016-17 and 22 overall.
Women’s Volleyball Offensive Performer of the Week
Makenna Harren, Ripon College
Harren had a strong week for the Red Hawks, tallying 22 kills with just two errors on .500 hitting. Harren added in three blocks and eight digs, helping Ripon to a 3-0 win over Beloit. Harren's hitting percentage stands as the fourth-best in the MWC this season.
Women’s Volleyball Defensive Performer of the Week
Kensie Staats, Cornell College
Staats scooped a career-high 31 digs in a 3-2 victory over Wartburg, which extended Cornell's winning streak to six matches. The senior averaged 5.3 digs per set and served three aces during Cornell's 2-0 week.
Men’s Cross Country Performer of the Week
Ryan Cassidy, Lawrence University
Cassidy paced the Vikings at the Gene Davis Invitational, finishing 11th overall in the 8K with a time of 26:34.2. His strong performance helped lead Lawrence to a second-place team finish with 57 points.
Women’s Cross Country Performer of the Week
Lillian Courtnage-Dyke, Lawrence University
Courtnage-Dyke delivered an outstanding performance at the Gene Davis Invitational, placing second overall in the 6K with a time of 22:19.7. She led the Vikings to a second-place team finish with 54 points, just four points behind the team champion.