BELTON- After an incredible week in UMHB athletics, it is now time to present True To The Cru’s Players of the Week, presented by our gold sponsor, Duke Realty.
Editor’s Note: Due to a stat-keeping issue in the UMHB-HSU football game, the stats that were posted online by the respective athletic departments and consequently, used in the voting for this poll were, in part, inaccurate. The updated stats are reflected below.
Offensive Player of the Week: Kenneth Cormier Jr.
Cormier led UMHB’s rushing attack against a solid HSU defense, recording 13 carries for 56 yards on the ground. He tallied both of the Cru’s rushing touchdowns in the contest, bringing his season total to three rushing scores. Cormier averaged 4.3 yards per carry, and posted positive gains on all 13 rushing attempts.
He earned 52 percent of the vote. Wide receiver Jerry Day Jr. and Kyle King were also nominees for the Offensive Player of the Week.
Defensive Player of the Week: Johnny Smith-Rider
For the fourth straight week, Smith-Rider earns this honor, thanks to his continued leadership on the defensive side of the ball. Once again, he posted the team-high in tackles, tying Titus Dunk and Durand Hill with six total tackles. The linebacker added a team-best five solo tackles, with 1.5 tackles for loss for 13 yards. He also forced a fumble, which he recovered seconds later, returning it for the first of UMHB’s two defensive touchdowns in the second quarter. For his performance, he was voted as the ASC’s Defensive Player of the Week, and named to the D3football.com Team of the Week.
Smith-Rider earned 72 percent of the total vote. Durand Hill and Sante Parker Jr. were also nominees for the Defensive Player of the Week.
Special Teams Player of the Week: KJ Miller
Miller, also named to the D3football.com Team of the Week, was exceptional in the kick return game on Saturday. He tallied four kickoff returns for a total of 135 yards, highlighted by an 85-yard sprint that allowed UMHB to begin one particular possession on the HSU four-yard line.
Miller earned 61 percent of the total vote. Kicker Anthony Avila joined Miller as a nominee for the weekly honor.
Volleyball Player of the Week: Hannah Frasca
UMHB has played just one match since last Wednesday, a 3-1 loss at Concordia, and in that road duel, Frasca stepped up, leading the Cru in both kills and blocks. The junior posted 12 kills on 58 attacks, hitting for a percentage of .103. She also had an impressive defensive performance, recording UMHB’s only two solo blocks of the contest, and totaled four blocks.
Men’s Soccer Player of the Week: Ethan Dacaret and Dalton Lloyd
Both were named ASC Players of the Week by the conference on Tuesday, and it feels only fair to give both the honor here. That is because the duo played a major role in UMHB’s incredible comeback victory on Friday night, as the Cru shocked Trinity (TX), with three second-half goals, winning 3-2.
Dacaret, in his first game back after spending the last several weeks playing with the Philippines U-19 team, scored two of those goals, including the game-winner in the 82nd minute. Lloyd, UMHB’s goalkeeper, played a full 90 minutes in the Cru’s wins over Trinity and Southwestern this weekend. He tallied eight saves against Trinity, as the Tigers were shut out in the second half, and also had four saves against Southwestern.
Women’s Soccer Player of the Week: Reagan Williams
UMHB’s goalkeeper, Williams was critical in the 2-0 shutout of Southwestern on Wednesday night. She played a complete 90 minutes, and recorded three saves, as the Pirates were unable to find the back of the net. Williams ranks second in the ASC in “goals against average”, having allowed just two goals in six matches played.
Women’s Golfer of the Week: Avery Hill
Hill contributed to the UMHB women’s golf team’s seventh-place finish at the MCC Women’s Intercollegiate in Alabama earlier this week, and finished the two-round tournament tied for 24th place, with a score of 153. Hill earns this honor, as she successfully moved up 20 spots in the individual standings in the final round, shooting a 73 (+1), which was seven strokes better than her score in the tournament’s opening round.
Sarah Kmiecik was UMHB’s highest finisher, with an eighth-place finish and a score of 145.
Men’s Golfers of the Week: Mathis Rollin and Darian Ruiz
The duo led UMHB in a third-place finish at the UMHB Men’s Invitational earlier this week, as Ruiz and Rollin tied for sixth with 69s (-1) on the second day. Additionally, both finished the tournament under par, with a score of 139 (-1).
Tennis Player of the Week: Adrianna McElwain
At the ITA Southwest Regional, McElwain represented the UMHB women’s tennis team well, winning a pair of singles matches in the Draw C group, advancing to the semifinals. McElwain won her opening match, 2-0 (7-5, 6-0), then followed that with a 2-1 (6-3, 5-7, 1-0 (11-9)) victory in the quarterfinal match. In doubles play, McElwain and teammate Jalon Burns were the only UMHB duo to win two matches, as they advanced to the quarterfinal round with a dominant victory over a team from Texas Lutheran.
