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: Bowling Green
Name: Sam Seidel
Sport: Baseball
Position: Infielder
Year: Senior
GPA: 3.71
Major: Graphic Design
Week’s Achievements: Sam Seidel was nearly unstoppable at the plate against Top 5 Georgia Tech during the opening weekend. In 13 plate appearances, Seidel reached base 10 times with five hits and five walks. He began the series and the season with a 2-for-3 day including a double, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI. He also drew two walks and stole two bases in the game. He followed it up in the first game of Saturday's doubleheader with another two-hit game as well as a double, two more RBI and two stolen bases. He capped off the game with three walks, reaching base five times. He concluded his weekend with another hit in the series finale, giving him at least one hit in each of the three games.
FEMALE WINNER
Institution: Eastern Michigan University
Name: Kelsea Dague
Sport: Lacrosse
Position: Midfield
Year: Jr.
GPA: 3.89
Major: Exercise Science
Week’s Achievements (detailed description of week’s events): Dague, who sat out the entire 2025 season with an injury, recorded her first goals, assist, and points of the 2026 season as she tallied seven points on six goals and one assist that included two hat tricks and the late game-winner in a come-from-behind victory over Xavier to help the Eagles finish the week with a 2-0 record. Dague, who had not scored since the 2024 MAC Tournament (May 2), opened the week with a hat trick against Lindenwood, marking her first hat trick since April 14, 2024, when she scored four against Central Michigan, before coming back to score another hat trick in the win against Xavier while adding one assist. The only player to score multiple goals in the 9-7 win over Xavier, Dague added one ground ball, one caused turnover, and one draw control in the two games to help the Eagles to a 3-1 record and the best start in program history that includes the team’s first 3-0 start in home games.
