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 September 28-October 4, 2026, on Monday.
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:
Football Offensive Performer of the Week
Mason Dew, Cornell College
Dew enjoyed a career day passing on Saturday, completing 31 of 39 attempts for 371 yards and four touchdowns in Cornell's 42-28 Homecoming win over Ripon. The junior quarterback broke the school's single-game record for completions and fired long TD passes of 45, 21, 55 and 68 yards.
Football Defensive Performer of the Week
Luke Konczal, Grinnell College
Konczal was a monster on defense, posting 13 tackles and a sack as the Pioneers toppled Knox 31-7 on Saturday. He currently ranks second in the league in tackles with 52. The victory gave the Pioneers their first 3-2 start since 2011, and their first three-win season since 2014.
Football Special Teams Performer of the Week
Sean Medcalfe, Luther College
In the 27-26 win over Illinois College, Medcalfe delivered a game-winning 54-yard field goal, setting a new school record. He finished the game 2-for-2 on field goals, connecting from 28 and 54 yards, while also going 3-for-3 on PATs. He also recorded six kickoffs for 375 yards (62.5 average), including five touchbacks. Additionally, he punted four times for 189 yards, averaging 47.2 yards per punt. Medcalfe recorded a long punt of 70 yards, two punts of 50-plus yards and placed one punt inside the 20-yard line.
Men’s Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week
Francesco Mungari, Luther College
Mungari tallied two goals and two assists last week, helping Luther go 2-0. He had an assist in Wednesday’s 3-0 win at Grinnell, and scored twice with an assist in Saturday’s 4-1 victory over Lake Forest. Saturday was Mungari’s second multi-goal game of the season.
Men’s Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week
TJ Esseily, Illinois College
Esseily recorded a draw and a win in net as IC went 1-0-1 in a pair of Midwest Conference matches last week. In the 1-1 draw at Lake Forest, Esseily recorded four saves. In the victory over Ripon, he posted his fourth shutout of the season while stopping four shots on the day.
Women’s Soccer Offensive Performer of the Week
Caroline Cody, Lawrence University
Cody found the back of the net twice in the Vikings’ 6-1 win at Knox on Saturday. The freshman’s first two goals of the year helped the Vikings continue to keep pace in the MWC race.
Women’s Soccer Defensive Performer of the Week
Riley Anderson, Luther College
Anderson helped the Luther defense to a pair of shutout victories, staying unbeaten in conference play. In a 1-0 victory over Grinnell on Tuesday, Anderson helped limit the Pioneers to four shots (two on goal). Lake Forest had just six shots (two on goal) in the Norse’s 1-0 win on Saturday.