Contact: Brock Reisler, Assistant Executive Director, breisler@midwestconference.org
OSHKOSH, Wisconsin – The Midwest Conference (MWC) announced its Performers of the Week award recipients for games played April 6-12, 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 spring seasons, Performers of the Week will be recognized every week on Monday (baseball, softball) and Tuesday (men’s tennis, outdoor track and field) 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 Tennis Performer of the Week
Trent Devore, Cornell College
Devore went a perfect 4-0 atop the lineup as Cornell clinched a Midwest Conference Tournament berth with wins over Monmouth (6-1) and Illinois College (4-3). The junior won two matches at No. 1 singles, both in straight sets. At No. 1 doubles, Devore and partner Jack Saunders blanked Monmouth, 6-0, and posted a 6-4 win over Illinois College.
Men’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Week
Nate Otis, Beloit College
At the Buccaneers' only home meet of the season, senior Nate Otis posted a 52.74 in the 400-meter hurdles, winning by nearly three seconds. That time set both a facility and a meet record. He followed that performance up by helping Beloit's 4x400 relay team capture first with a time of 3:26.92. His 400-meter hurdle time tops the MWC by nearly six seconds. He ranks sixth in the nation in the 400-hurdles. His 4x400 group ranks third in the MWC.
Men’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Week
Melvin Hodge, Illinois College
Hodge broke his own school record, which he set last week, and won the hammer throw with a toss of 60.39 meters at the Greenville Select Meet on Saturday. That mark currently ranks second nationally.
Women’s Outdoor Track Performer of the Week
Aleese Trimingham, Illinois College
Trimingham won two titles – the 100-meter and 400-meter hurdles – at the Greenville Select meet on Saturday. Her winning times of 14.43 (100-meter hurdles) and 1:03.44 (400-meter hurdles) are both among the best times to date in the Midwest Conference this season. Her 100-meter hurdle time ranks 16th nationally, while her 400-meter hurdle time is 22nd is the 22nd-best in the nation.
Women’s Outdoor Field Performer of the Week
Riley Gardner, Illinois College
Gardner won the high jump at the Greenville Select meet on Saturday, tying her school record 1.65 meters which she set the previous week. Her height currently ranks first in the Midwest Conference and 14th nationally.