FARMINGTON, Utah (Sept. 1, 2025) – The Big Sky Conference announced its Player of the Week honors, presented by JAMBAR, with soccer, football, volleyball and cross country all in full swing.
Big Sky Football Players of the Week (Sept. 1, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Ty Dieffenbach, Cal Poly (QB, R-So., Calabasas, Calif.)
In his Mustang debut, Ty Dieffenbach led Cal Poly to a 41-17 win over San Diego to open the 2025 season. The redshirt sophomore transfer quarterback was 18-27 for 263 yards and two passing touchdowns, while adding 69 yards on the ground and another score to finish his day with 300-plus yards of offense. The weekly honor for Dieffenbach is the first of his career.
Defensive Player of the Week: Rex Connors, UC Davis (DB, Sr., Pleasant Grove, Utah)
Big Sky Preseason MVP Rex Connors officially opened his season with another big performance, as he led UC Davis to a 31-24 comeback win over Utah Tech. The senior racked up 15 tackles, with eight being solos, and one pass breakup. Connors called all the defensive plays on the night, as he aided in stopping the Utah Tech offense in five consecutive drives to close out the comeback win. The weekly honor is the first for Connors since winning it twice in 2022. With the 15 tackles, Connors now sits 12 tackles away from hitting a mark of 291 career tackles which will set the career program record for total tackles.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Landon Ogles, Eastern Washington (P, Sr., San Diego, Calif.)
Eastern Washington's Landon Ogles booted seven punts for an average of 42.3 on the day against Incarnate Word, with only two of his punts returned for the game. Ogles recorded a career-long 72-yard punt, which was one of three punts that traveled over 50 yards on the day. The weekly honor for Ogles was the first of his career.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Football Player of the Week
Offense: Marceese Yetts (EWU), Jordan Cooke (ISU), Kolbe Katsis (NAU), Peter Costelli (UNC)
Defense: Mikey D'Amato (Cal Poly), Drew Carter (EWU), Isiah King (UI), Mason Young (ISU), Ramere Davis (NAU), Darrell Bryant Jr. (UNC), Isaiah Green (PSU), Derek Houston (SAC)
Special Teams: LJ Harm (UI), Gabriel Russo (ISU), Samuel Hunsaker (NAU), Jacob Willig (UNC), Cal McGough (SAC), Sloan Calder (WSU)
Big Sky Volleyball Players of the Week (Sept. 1, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Rose Moore, Weber State (OPP, Jr., Lehi, UT.)
Rose Moore helped the Wildcats to a 3-0 weekend to win the Wildcat Invitational title. She totaled 38 kills and a new single-game career high 20 kills against UC Irvine. Over the weekend, she recorded a .337 hitting percentage.
Defensive Player of the Week: Lauren Lindseth, Montana State (L, Sr., Great Falls, Mont.)
Lauren Lindseth averaged 5.82 digs per set as the Bobcats faced Oregon, South Dakota and Prairie View A&M in Shroyer Gym over the Labor Day weekend. The senior libero notched a weekend-best 33 digs as MSU fell to USD 3-2. The total was one shy of her career mark. Lindseth added 21 digs vs. PVAM, and had ten against Oregon. In addition, she dished out ten assists and had two service aces.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Volleyball Player of the Week
Offense: Kiana Greer (UI), Camryn Greenwald (MSU), Isabel Bennet (UNC), Alivia Eikenberg (PSU), Ashlynn Archer (SAC)
Defense: Makaula Koen (UI), Naomi White (PSU), Reese Ampi (SAC), Ashley Gneiting (WSU)
Big Sky Soccer Players of the Week (Sept. 2, 2025)
Offensive Player of the Week: Avery Ott, Northern Arizona (MID, Sr., Centennial, Colo.)
Avery Ott led NAU to a 4-2 win over the Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine on Thursday by recording a hat trick on five shots, including an insurance goal late to seal the victory. She is now the fifth player in program history to record a hat trick.
Defensive Player of the Week: Kamryn Willoughby, Eastern Washington (GK, Sr., Lindon, UT.)
Willoughby record 10 saves over two matches with seven in the win over UIC. n the game against South Dakota she added three saves. She only allowed two goals over the weekend one against UIC and one against South Dakota.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Soccer Player of the Week
Offense: Chloe Pattison (UM), Chloe Seelhoff (UM), Lexi Tuite (UNC)
Defense: Lucie Rokos (UM)
Big Sky Cross Country Athletes of the Week (Sept. 2, 2024)
Co-Men’s Athlete of the Week: Ford Washburn, Northern Arizona (RSo., Iowa City, Iowa)
After leading the Lumberjacks to victory at the George Kyte Invitational, Northern Arizona’s
Ford Washburn has been named Co-Men’s Athlete of the Week. Washburn was the top collegiate running in the race, finishing the course in a time of 22:16.1. The ‘Jacks scored just 15 points, taking the top six spots in a race that featured Arizona, Grand Canyon, Utah Tech and Arizona State.
Co-Men’s Athlete of the Week: Jake Peterson, Weber State (So., Ogden, Utah)
By breaking the course record in Logan at the USU Alumni Challenge and helping the Wildcats top Utah State, who is No. 5 in the NCAA Mountain Region, earns Weber State’s
Jake Peterson Co-Men’s Athlete of the Week honors. Peterson was the top collegiate finisher with a time of 20:42.4, to outpace the field by 11 seconds. He led the Wildcats to a team victory at the meet.
Women’s Athlete of the Week: Hayley Burns, Northern Arizona (So., Bozeman, Mont.)
Pacing the Lumberjack women to a team victory and finishing as the top collegiate at the George Kyte Invitational, has earned Northern Arizona’s
Hayley Burns Women’s Athlete of the Week honors. Burns crossed the line in 15:13.4 to pace NAU past Utah Tech, Arizona, Arizona State and Grand Canyon. The ‘Jacks secured the top-five spots in their race to score just 15 points.
Others Nominated for Big Sky Cross Country Athlete of the Week
Men: Conner Wirth (EWU), Zac Knapp (UI), Jacob DeTemple (ISU), Luke Mest (UM), Sam Ells (MSU), Logan Gullet (UNC), Ari Smith (PSU), Ryan Martin (SAC)
Women: Rylee Brandon (EWU), Alex Terry (UI), Gabby Johnson (ISU), Kayla Ingraham (UM), Eva Koos (MSU), Sabrina Storia (UNC), Emma Stolte (PSU), Tia Oliver (SAC), Frances Hudson (WSU)
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