The Scholar Athlete of the Week Award is presented to a MAC male and/or female student- athlete who has a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better and performs well during that week's competition. An institution can nominate up to one male and one female student-athlete per week in any of that current season's sports. The winners are selected by a representative of the MAC's Faculty Athletics Representatives (FARs).
A student-athlete may only be awarded MAC Scholar Athlete of the Week twice in one season.
MALE WINNER
Institution: Eastern Michigan University
Name: Matt Kirk
Sport: Baseball
Position: Outfield
Year: Graduate Student
GPA: 3.5
Major: Business Administration
Week’s Achievements (detailed description of week’s events):
Graduate student Matt Kirk continued to turn heads nationally this week, putting together one of the best three-game stretches in the nation against Alma, April 25, and Niagara, April 28-29. The Milford, Ohio native hit an incredible .500, with more extra-base hits than singles, and a slugging percentage of 1.064. Moreover, he led Eastern Michigan to a perfect week, and the team has now won five consecutive games, a streak that started when Kirk hit a grand slam, walk-off home run against Toledo last Sunday. Kirk’s impressive week included a Eastern Michigan-record four doubles in the team’s game against the Purple Eagles, April 29. That number is also tied for the most among any NCAA Division I player this season, and has only been accomplished five times total in 2023. Kirk, who posted an EMU single-season record and led the nation with 25 doubles a season ago, already has 22 this season, a number which now ties the national leaderboard. Kirk hit total (61) is more than double that of his strikeout total (25).
FEMALE WINNER
Institution: Northern Illinois University
Name: Kelly Walinski
Sport: Softball
Position: Infield
Year: Senior
GPA: 3.905
Major: Health Science-Pre-Physical Therapy
Wek’s Achievements (detailed description of week’s events):
Kelly Walinski totaled nine RBI and homered twice, including a game-winning grand slam, this past week for the Northern Illinois University softball team's series against Western Michigan and Buffalo. The shortstop was on fire all week with eight hits (two for extra bases) and four runs through 22 at-bats. Her shining moment of the week came in the series finale against WMU at home when, with the game tied 4-4 in the sixth inning and the bases loaded, the senior delivered a grand slam, giving NIU the boost it needed to corral the Broncos. Walinski also had a pair of stolen bases this week.
