General

Smith, Salesman Take Home Scholar Athlete of the Week Honors

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).

MALE WINNER
Institution: Ball State 
Name: Carter Smith 
Sport: Golf 
Position: No. 1 Golfer 
Year: Senior
GPA: 3.34 
Major: Accounting 
Week’s Achievements (detailed description of week’s events): Carter Smith captured the 2023 Earl Yestingsmeier Invitational title by shooting a 54- hole score of 208 (-2) to pace the 75-player field at the Delaware Country Club in Muncie, Indiana. After shooting an opening-round 71 (+1) Saturday morning, Smith followed with a second-round 69 (-1) to take the lead into the clubhouse entering the final day of competition. Smith closed the event with a final-round 68 (-2) to win the event by two strokes over teammate Kash Bellar. Smith was the only player in the field to finish the event in red numbers. His effort also helped the Cardinals capture the team title with a score of 859 (+19), 16 strokes ahead of second-place Butler who held a six-stroke lead heading into the final round Sunday.
 
FEMALE WINNER
Institution: Western Michigan 
Name: Keona Salesman 
Sport: Volleyball 
Position: Outside Hitter 
Year: Senior 
GPA: 3.95 
Major: Biomedical Sciences 
Week’s Achievements (detailed description of week’s events): Keona Salesman continued her hot start to the season, posting three more double-digit kill performances to help the Broncos win the Kennesaw State Invitational. For the weekend, the senior totaled 52 kills (4.33/set) and 53.5 points (4.46/set) on a .339 hitting percentage. Salesman opened the weekend with a career-high 23 kills in Friday's contest against Mississippi State. The Coldwater, Mich., native picked up 12 kills while hitting .324 in a four-set win over Wake Forest on Saturday, and then closed out the week with 17 kills on a blistering .517 hitting percentage in Sunday's sweep of Kennesaw State.