FARMINGTON, Utah (Oct. 30, 2024) – The Big Sky Conference announced its weekly honors for football, volleyball and soccer, as the league wraps up the month of October and heads into its championship season.
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Oct. 28, 2024)
Offensive Player of the Week: Christian Fredericksen, Idaho State (WR, Sr., Rigby, Idaho)
Christian Fredericksen led Idaho State to its first win over Sacramento State since 2016, thanks to his big day for the Bengal offense in the 30-27 overtime victory. The senior wideout caught 10 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns on the day. Fredericksen hauled in a 24-yard pass from Kobe Tracy for his first score, before catching a 42-yard bomb right before halftime to put the Bengals up 21-14. The honor was the first of Fredericksen's career.
Defensive Player of the Week: Jaxon Lee, Montana (DB, Sr., Missoula, Mont.)
Safety
Jaxon Lee helped Montana secure its third-straight shutout of Northern Colorado with seven tackles and a diving, fingertip interception that put a stop to a deep Bears gain. Montana has not let Northern Colorado score since Bobby Hauck returned to UM in 2018, blanking UNC by a combined score of 99-0 in the last three meetings, dating back to 2021. The honor was the first of Lee's career.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ross Bolger, Idaho State (P, Sr., Laois, Ireland)
Idaho State's
Ross Bolger averaged 40.5 yards per punt with two inside the 20 in Saturday's OT win over Sacramento State. With under 3 minutes to play in the game on a crucial 4th down, Bolger faked the punt and rushed for nine yards for the Bengal first down, allowing the Bengals to continue killing the clock. The Bengal special teams unit limited Sacramento State to just one return yard on the day. The honor was the third of the year for Bolger.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Deshaun Buchanan (UI), Keali'i Ah Yat (UM), Curron Borders (SAC)
Defense: Derek Ganter Jr. (EWU), Tommy McCormick (UI), Logan George (ISU), Will Leota (SAC)
Special Teams: Ty Morrison (UM), Cal McGough (SAC)
Big Sky Volleyball Players of the Week (Oct. 28, 2024)
Offensive Player of the Week: Gabi Placide, Northern Colorado (OH, So., Centennial, Colo.)
Gabi Placide had 26 kills in two matches over the weekend, as Northern Colorado swept Eastern Washington and Idaho. The sophomore had a 4.33 kills per set average for the week, while posting a .406 hitting percentage against the Eagles and a .462 percentage against the Vandals. The 18 kills against EWU matched a career-high for the outside hitter. The weekly honor is the second of the season for Placide and fourth of the year for UNC, who has also won the last three weekly honors for offense.
Defensive Player of the Week: Lauren Lindseth, Montana State (L, Jr., Great Falls, Mont.)
Lauren Lindseth posted 22 digs in the Montana State sweep over Montana, averaging 7.3 digs per set in the lone match of the week for the Bobcats. Lindseth posted an impressive ten digs in the second frame. In addition, she also chipped in a match-high three aces and dished out four assists. Lindseth currently leads the Big Sky averaging 4.74 digs per set in conference play. Her current total of 1,316 career digs ranks fifth all-time at Montana State. The league honor is the fifth of her career.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Volleyball Player of the Week
Offense: Bri Gunderson (EWU), Marci Bell (ISU), Maddie Krmer (UM), Jourdain Kamps (MSU), Carisa Barron (PSU), Caitlin Volkmann (SAC), Kate Payne (WSU)
Defense: Kalista Lukovich (EWU), Marci Bell (ISU), Maddie Pyles (UM), Paige Stepaniuk (PSU), Maddie Davies (UNC)
Big Sky Soccer Players of the Week (Oct. 29, 2024)
Offensive Player of the Week: Joey Lujan, Northern Arizona (MF, Sr., Gilbert, Ariz.)
Joey Lujan scored a goal and added a pair of assists for Northern Arizona, as the Lumberjacks won a pair of matches to lock up the No. 4 seed in the Big Sky Soccer Championship next week in Missoula. Lujan picked up the game-winning goal against Weber State on Friday night, breaking a 1-1 tie in the 62nd minute. Securing the Jacks second-straight victory, Lujan played a role in both NAU goals over the Idaho State Bengals on Sunday, coming in the 11th and 59th minutes of play.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Izzy Palmatier, Sacramento State (GK, R-So., Folsom, Calif.)
Izzy Palmatier made six saves and posted her fifth shutout of the season in Sacramento State's 1-0 victory over Portland State to close out the regular season on Sunday. Palmatier's performance helped Sacramento State extend its unbeaten streak to six consecutive matches heading into next week's Big Sky Championship, finishing 3-0-3 in those matches — including three shutouts by Palmatier against Weber State, regular season champion Montana, and the Vikings, allowing only three goals over the 535:19 in that stretch (0.50 goals against average). The weekly conference honor is the second of the season for Palmatier and third of her career.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Bayliss Flynn, Montana (GK, So., Edina, Minn.)
Montana's Bayliss Flynn posted two shutouts on the road last week as Montana won at Idaho State and Weber State to clinch its second consecutive Big Sky regular-season championship and earn the No. 1 seed for next week's league tournament in Missoula. Flynn, who didn't see any action last season or through the first five matches this fall, was thrust into the starting lineup when Ashlyn Dvorak, all-region last season, was injured in Montana's match at Fresno State in late August. In 13 matches as a starter, Flynn has gone unbeaten at 9-0-4.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Soccer Player of the Week
Offense: Kendall Moore (EWU), Jen Estes (UM), Candance Ching (SAC)
Defense: Trinity Hale (ISU)
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