FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 23, 2024) – The Big Sky Conference announced its weekly honors for the past week of competition, as it was another jam-packed week of football, volleyball, soccer, cross country and golf all in action.
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Sept. 23, 2024)
Offensive Player of the Week: Eli Gillman, Montana (RB, R-So., Dassel, Minn.)
Eli Gillman rushed for a career-high 175 yards and one touchdown in Montana’s 46-35 win over ranked Western Carolina. The redshirt sophomore had two runs for 50-plus yards, averaging 12.5 yards on 14 carries. The first touchdown for Gillman was on a burst of 66 yards. His 175 yards are one of the top-25 rushing games of all-time for Montana, tied with his position coach Justin Green’s 2003 game against Eastern Washington and just one yard shy of last week’s 176-yard performance from teammate Malae Fonoti.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Elias Mullican, Sacramento State (DB, So., Rocklin, Calif.)
Sacramento State's Elias Mullican picked off a pair of passes, including one for a touchdown, in the Hornets’ 34-0 shutout at Texas A&M-Commerce. Mulican played a large role in helping the team to its first road shutout since 2011. The Hornet defense has not surrendered a point in the last two games and has a streak of 126 minutes, 55 seconds of scoreless ball.
Co-Defensive Player of the Week: Kemari Munier-Bailey, Weber State (DL, Sr., Birmingham, England)
Weber State's Kemari Munier-Bailey racked up eight total tackles, six for loss, and had three sacks in the Wildcats' 39-0 shutout at Northwestern State. The six tackles for loss accounted for 22 total yards. As a team, Weber State had 17 tackles for loss in the shutout win.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Ross Bolger, Idaho State (P, Sr., Laois, Ireland)
Idaho State's Ross Bolger had an impressive day punting the ball, averaging 51.8 yards per attempt in the Bengals' 38-28 win over Southern Utah. Bolger's efforts were needed in the game, as he flipped the field multiple times, including two punts over 50 yards. Bolger's long was a 57-yarder that pushed the Thunderbirds inside their own 20-yard line.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Jordan Dwyer (UI), Dason Brooks (ISU), Tommy Mellott (MSU), Dante Chachere (PSU), Elijah Tau-Tolliver (SAC), Richie Munoz (WSU)
Defense: Kentrell Williams Jr. (EWU), Zach Krotzer (UI), Nathan Reynolds (ISU), Brody Grebe (MSU), Peyton Wing (PSU),
Special Teams: Cameron Pope (UI), Sawyer Racanelli (UM), Hunter Green (UNC), Oscar Doyle (WSU)
Big Sky Volleyball Players of the Week (Sept. 23, 2024)
Offensive Player of the Week: Paige Clark, Montana (OH, Sr., Idaho Falls, Idaho)
Montana's Paige Clark had a big weekend at the Kangaroo Klassic in Kansas City, averaging 4.64 kills per set as the Grizzlies went 2-1. It's the fourth career Player of the Week honor for Clark, who joins Linde Eidenberg and Karen Goff-Downs as the only four-time winners in program history. Clark, who recently recorded her 1,000th career kill at Montana, was impressive in all three matches for the Grizzlies as she increased her season average to 3.87 kills per set. She had 13 in the first match, and then had 19 in each of Montana's two matches to close out the weekend.
Defensive Player of the Week: Millie O’Ketter, Northern Arizona (L, Gr., Durango, Colo.)
Libero Millie O'Ketter helped Northern Arizona win three matches this past week, averaging 4.09 digs per set to lead the Lumberjacks. For the week, O'Ketter would tally 45 digs which puts her career at 1,623. She needs 269 more digs to overtake the top spot in the all-time record book at Northern Arizona, which was set by Anna Gott from 2009-12 with 1,891 career digs. O'Ketter, a graduate student, has earned double-digit digs in all but one match so far this season, including at least 20 in four matches. This is O'Ketter's second time being awarded this honor this season - with her first after the conclusion of the Lumberjack Classic. It is the third time being awarded this weekly conference honor in her career.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Volleyball Player of the Week
Offense: Kalista Lukovich (EWU), Zuzanna Wieczorek (UI), Maddie Davies (UNC), Bridgette Smith (SAC)
Defense: Bri Gunderson (EWU), Emma Patterson (UI), Alexis Batezel (UM), Isabel Bennett (UNC), Ashlynn Archer (SAC)
Big Sky Cross Country Athletes of the Week (Sept. 24, 2024)
Men's XC Athlete of the Week: Peter Visser, Weber State (Jr., Afton, Wyo.)
For the second time this season Weber State’s Peter Visser has been named Big Sky Men’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. He finished in first at the 2024 Big Sky Preview Meet in Pocatello, Idaho, on the course the upcoming league championship will be held at. He helped the Wildcats cruise to a 15-point victory, finishing the 6K course in 23:37.7.
Women’s Athlete of the Week: Regina Mpigachai, Northern Colorado (Sr., Geita, Tanzania)
Claiming an individual victory in her second-consecutive race, Northern Colorado’s Regina Mpigachai has been named Big Sky Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week. This marks her second title in a row. Mpigachai finished first at Nebraska’s 2024 Greeno/Dirksen Cross Country Invitational, running the 5K course in 17:01.0. She broke the tape over 35 seconds faster than anyone else in the field.
Others Nominated for Big Sky XC Athlete of the Week
Men’s: Seth Babbel (ISU), Henry Ballinger (UM), Ryan Martin (SAC)
Women’s: Cassandra Vasquez (ISU), Abigail Case (UM), Lindsey Paulson (MSU), Tia Oliver (SAC), Laurie Murphy (WSU)
Big Sky Soccer Players of the Week (Sept. 24, 2024)
Offensive Player of the Week: Chloe Seelhoff, Montana (MF, Jr., Snohomish, Wash.)
Chloe Seelhoff scored a pair of goals in Montana's 2-0 victory over Boise State last Thursday, as the transfer's play is heating up in her first season with the Grizzlies. Seelhoff also scored the Grizzlies' final goal in their 4-0 home win over North Dakota in Montana's previous match, giving Seelhoff the team's last three goals. The conference weekly honor is the first of the season for Seelhoff and fourth overall for the Grizzlies.
Defensive Player of the Week: Trinity Corcoran, Northern Arizona (GK, Sr., Corona, Calif.)
Trinity Corcoran posted back-to-back shutouts for the Lumberjacks, helping secure a pair of scoreless draws this past week for Northern Arizona. Corcoran recorded eight saves against New Mexico, adding four while facing Southern Utah. Corcoran now ranks second in the Big Sky in save percentage, holding strong at .857 through seven matches played. The conference weekly honor is the first of the season for Corcoran and second overall for her career.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Soccer Player of the Week
Offensive: Delani Walker (EWU), Hannah Alfaro (Idaho), Camille Kollar (ISU)
Defensive: CKamryn Willoughby (EWU), Alyssa Peters (UI), Trinity Hale (ISU), Bayliss Flynn (UM)
Big Sky Golfer of the Week (Sept. 26, 2024)
Co-Women’s Golfer of the Week: Lauren Greeny, Montana State (Jr., Pullman, Wash.)
With a victory at the Eagle Invitational, Montana State’s Lauren Greeny has earned Co-Golfer of the Week honors. Greeny carded a school record single-round of 6-under on Monday to propel herself to the victory. For the tournament, she shot a 6-under 138. In securing her first collegiate tournament victory, the junior helped the Bobcats finish fourth overall as a team and ahead of all six other competing Big Sky squads.
Co-Women’s Golfer of the Week: Caitlin Maurice, Sacramento State (Sr., Omokoroa, New Zealand)
Breaking school records of her own in a stacked field, Sacramento State’s Caitlin Maurice also earned Co-Golfer of the Week honors. Maurice's three-round score of 8-under (208) tied for the fourth lowest in school history and beat her previous best by three strokes. Her third-place finish was her seventh top five showing as a Hornet. Her first-round 65 set the Sacramento State single-round record.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Golfer of the Week
Raina Ports (UM), Isabel Gutierrez (WSU)
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