General

Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week - January 20

MADISON, Wis.--Following are the WIAC Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week for the week of Jan. 13 - 19.

MEN’S BASKETBALL
JJ Paider, Junior (Neenah, Wis./Neenah), Forward of UW-La Crosse
Paider averaged 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 steals in two games during the week, shooting 76.5% (13-of-17) from the field and 90.0% (nine-of-10) at the free throw line. He recorded his sixth double-double of the season and 10th of his career with 20 points and 10 rebounds in a victory at UW-Stout on Jan. 15. Paider went seven-of-11 from the field and six-of-six at the line. He finished with 15 points, five rebounds, three steals and two assists in a win over UW-Oshkosh on Jan. 18, going six-of-six from the field and three-of-four at the line. 
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Carter Huschka, Senior, Forward, Farmington, Minn. (Farmington)
UW-Oshkosh, Carter Thomas, Junior, Guard, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)
UW-Platteville, Logan Pearson, Senior, Forward, Kimberly, Wis. (Kimberly)
UW-Stevens Point, Cal Krohn, Sophomore, Forward, Waukesha, Wis. (West)
UW-Stout, Jacob Walczak, Senior, Guard, Chippewa Falls, Wis. (Chi-Hi)
UW-Whitewater, Jameer Barker, Senior, Guard, Racine, Wis. (St. Catherine’s)
 
 
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Kayce Vaile, Senior (Greendale, Wis./Greendale), Forward of UW-Oshkosh
Vaile averaged 18.0 points on 53.6 percent (15-of-28) from the field and 83.3 percent (5-of-6) from the line and pulled down 12.0 boards per game in the Titans’ wins over UW-Whitewater and UW-La Crosse during the week. She went 8-of-17 and 2-of-3 from the line for 19 points and 13 rebounds at the Warhawks on Jan. 15. Both her point and rebound marks were season highs, and her four assists and five blocks tied career bests. After UW-Whitewater pulled ahead late, she converted an and-1 to force overtime and scored three points in the 7-0 extra period for the Titans. UW-Oshkosh returned to Kolf Sports Center to face the Eagles on Jan. 18. Vaile went 7-of-11 from the field and 3-of-3 from the charity stripe for 17 points, adding 11 rebounds and a steal.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Lauryn Milne, Senior, Guard, Lodi, Wis. (Lodi)
UW-Platteville, Brynlee Nelson, Senior, Guard, Fennimore, Wis. (Fennimore)
UW-River Falls, Olivia Hoerl, Junior, Guard/Forward, Chilton, Wis. (Chilton)
UW-Stevens Point, Alexa Thomson, Senior, Guard/Forward, De Pere, Wis. (West)
UW-Stout, Raegan Sorensen, Senior, Guard, Centuria, Wis. (Unity)
UW-Whitewater, Kacie Carollo, Senior, Guard, Whitewater, Wis. (Whitewater)
 
 
WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS
Specialist
Raina Christenson, Sophomore (Basehor, Kan./Basehor-Linwood), of UW-La Crosse
Christenson won the balance beam (9.850) in UW-La Crosse's dual victory at UW-Eau Claire on Jan. 17. Her score of 9.850 was a career high.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Meghan Dahlin, Sophomore, Holly, Mich. (Holly)
Gustavus Adolphus College, Lily Horsch, Senior, Somonauk, Ill. (Somonauk)
UW-Oshkosh, Reanna McGibboney, Junior, Chester Springs, Pa. (Downington East)
Simpson College, Brooklen Morgan, Junior, Norman, Okla. (Norman)
UW-Stout, Effie Ferguson, Senior, Mississauga, Ontario (Clarkson Secondary)
UW-Whitewater, Carleigh Moore, Junior, Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)
Winona State University, Kennedy O’Connor, Grad. Student, Roselle, Ill. (James B. Conant)
 
All-Around
Taylar Schaefer, Sophomore (St. Joseph, Minn./St. Cloud Cathedral), of UW-Stout
Schaefer scored a personal best in the all-around (37.425) at the Windy City Invite (Quad meet with Illinois State, Fisk, and Wilberforce). She scored a 9.675 on the vault and 9.525 in the balance beam and floor exercise. 
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Madison Daly, Sophomore, Las Vegas, Nev. (Palo Verde)
Winona State University, Jessica Miley, Junior, Olathe, Kan. (South)
 
MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
Andrew Yocum, Sophomore (St. Louis, Mo.), Goalie of Northland College
Over three games, Yocum tallied 93 saves, including a career-high 51 against Saint Mary's University (Minn.). Against the Cardinals, he finished with a 98.1 save percentage to help lead the LumberJacks to an overtime win. The 2-1 victory was the first career win for Yocum.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Eli Reimer, Sophomore, Forward, Lansing, Mich. (Grand Ledge)
UW-River Falls, Cole Teleki, Freshman, Defender, Argyle, Texas
UW-Stevens Point, Nico Chmelevski, Sophomore, Forward, Northville, Mich.
UW-Stout, Kullan Daikawa, Junior, Forward, Lino Lakes, Minn.
UW-Superior, Matt Francois, Senior, Forward, Denver, Colo. (Grandview)
 
 
WOMEN’S ICE HOCKEY
Bailey Olson, Senior (Willmar, Minn./Willmar), Forward of UW-River Falls
Olson led the No. 2-ranked Falcons to a weekend sweep over UW-Superior, scoring five goals on the weekend. On Jan. 17 in River Falls, she tied a program record with four goals, including two on the power play. She followed up with another goal as UW-River Falls defeated the Yellowjackets on the road on Jan. 18, and totaled 19 shots on goal, while winning 23-of-30 faceoffs through two games.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Madisyn Krumholz, Sophomore, Forward, Burnsville, Minn.
UW-Superior, Kailey Swerhun, Senior, Forward, Thunder Bay, Ontario (St. Ignatius)
 
 
MEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Track
Davian Willems, Junior (De Pere, Wis./West), of UW-Oshkosh
Willems claimed the fastest time in NCAA Division III this season with a first-place finish of 6.74 seconds at the UW-Oshkosh Deb Vercauteren Alumni & Friends Invitational on Jan. 18.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Jack Schreiber, Sophomore, Appleton, Wis. (Kimberly)
UW-River Falls, Wyatt Johnson, Sophomore, Duluth, Minn. (East)
UW-Whitewater, Sam Vargas, Freshman, Hartland, Wis. (Arrowhead)
 
Field
Adam Strouf, Senior (Rice Lake, Wis./Rice Lake), of UW-Eau Claire
Strouf set an NCAA-leading mark in the shot put when he won the event during a Jan. 18 dual against UW-River Falls. His heave of 57-7 1/2 (17.56m) ranks No. 1 in both Division III and the WIAC.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Oshkosh, Gavin Fritsch, Junior, Little Chute, Wis. (Little Chute)
UW-River Falls, Brady Sindelir, Grad. Student, Lakeville, Minn. (North)
UW-Whitewater, Sean Larsen, Senior, Waukesha, Wis. (South)
 
 
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK & FIELD
Track
Cici Stennett, Freshman (Barrington, Ill.), of UW-Whitewater
Stennett picked up a win in her first collegiate meet on Jan. 18. She secured gold in the 55-meters with a time of 7.21 seconds - winning by a tenth of a second.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Emilee Booker, Senior, Genoa City, Wis. (Badger)
UW-River Falls, Addison Wilde, Freshman, Baldwin, Wis. (Baldwin-Woodville)
 
Field
Gracie Holland, Senior (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield), of UW-Whitewater
Holland opened the 2025 indoor campaign with a first-place finish in the pole vault. Her height of 12-11 1/2 (3.95m) bested the competition by over two feet.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Kayla Behnke, Senior, Appleton, Wis. (Kimberly)
UW-Oshkosh, Brenna Masloroff, Senior, Franklin, Wis. (Franklin)
UW-River Falls, Brielle Kuechle, Sophomore, Eden Valley, Minn. (Eden Valley-Watkins)
 

MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING
Swimming
Blake Nelson, Senior (Charlotte, N.C./Lincoln Charter), of UW-La Crosse
Nelson won the 50-yard freestyle (20.65) and 100-yard freestyle (47.83) in UW-La Crosse's dual victory over UW-Oshkosh on Jan. 18. He was also a member of the Eagles' first-place 200-yard medley relay (1:31.68) and 400-yard freestyle relay (3:12.26). 
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Evan Bushko, Sophomore, Gilbert, Ariz. (Desert Vista)
UW-Oshkosh, Leo Ramirez-Gutierrez, Sophomore, Schaumburg, Ill. (Hoffman Estates)
UW-Stevens Point, Ryan Trantham, Senior, Mackinaw, Ill. (Deer Creek Mackinaw)
 
Diving
Declan Trant, Sophomore (Downers Grove, Ill./South), of UW-Stevens Point
Trant won both diving events at UW-Oshkosh on Jan. 17. His one-meter score was 303.00 and his three-meter score was 329.85. Trant won the one-meter dive at Northern Michigan University on Jan. 18, with a score of 512.85.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Blake Wallen, Sophomore, Savage, Minn. (Prior Lake)
UW-La Crosse, Tony McNiff, Senior, Princeton, Minn. (Princeton)
UW-Oshkosh, Jacob Gordon, Freshman, St. Louis, Mo. (Parkway West)
 
 
WOMEN’S SWIMMING & DIVING
Swimming
Kyler Ernst, Senior (Fountain City, Wis./Luther), of UW-Stevens Point
Ernst was part of two winning relays at UW-Oshkosh on Jan. 17. She won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:53.93 and the 200-yard freestyle relay with a time of 1:40 93. Ernst won the 400-yard freestyle relay at Northern Michigan University on Jan. 18, with a time of 3:45.82. She also won the 100-yard backstroke at Northern Michigan with a time of 1:01.56. She took second in the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:03.61.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Sydney McGuine, Senior, Huntley, Ill. (Huntley)
UW-La Crosse, Ava Pulvermacher, Freshman, Madison, Wis. (West)
UW-Oshkosh, Francesca Schiro, Senior, New Glarus, Wis. (New Glarus)
Diving
Hannah Martini, Junior (Muskego, Wis./Muskego), of UW-La Crosse
Martini won the three-meter competition (277.80 points) and placed second in the one-meter (262.20) in UW-La Crosse's dual victory over UW-Oshkosh on Jan. 18.
 
Also nominated:
UW-Eau Claire, Jordan Kuhn, Junior, Waukesha, Wis. (West)
UW-Oshkosh, Maya Indiraraj, Junior, West Bend, Wis. (West)
UW-Stevens Point, Ryanne Strausbaugh, Senior, Muskego, Wis. (Franklin)
 
 
WRESTLING
Jared Stricker, Senior (High Bridge, Wis./Ashland), 174 pounds of UW-Eau Claire
Stricker went 5-0 on the week, defeating a ranked wrestler and four opponents from the NCAA Division II level, while also breaking UW-Eau Claire’s all-time pins record. He started the week with an 11-1 major decision over No. 13-ranked Carson Trotzer during a dual against UW-Stevens Point on Jan. 16. He added four more wins during the Southwest Minnesota State Duals on Jan. 18, all over Division II opponents. The highlight was a pin of Fort Hays State University’s Connor Padgett in his first match of the day, giving him his 65th career pin to set a new UW-Eau Claire record. Stricker added another pin and a technical fall later in the day.
 
Also nominated:
UW-La Crosse, Eddie Simes, Sophomore, 174 pounds, Amery, Wis. (Amery-Pinnacle)
UW-Oshkosh, Roman Martell, Sophomore, 197 pounds, Oshkosh, Wis. (West)
UW-Platteville, Brady Grennan, Freshman, 133 pounds, Rock Falls, Ill. (Newman Catholic Central)
UW-Stevens Point, Logan Neitzel, Junior, 197 pounds, Lomira, Wis. (Lomira)
UW-Whitewater, Luke Swan, Sophomore, 157 pounds, Woodridge, Ill. (Downers Grove South)