Kwik Trip athletes of the week announced by WIAC

MADISON, Wis. -- Following are the WIAC Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week for the week of August 31-Sept. 6.

Football

Offense

Justin Klinkner, junior (Two Rivers, Wis./Two Rivers), quarterback of UW-Whitewater.

Klinkner led the Warhawks to a record-breaking 69-7 win over Carleton College (Minn.) at Perkins Stadium on Sept. 5. He set career marks in passing yards (366), passing touchdowns (5) and longest pass (84). Klinkner completed 20-of-23 passes in the game with an efficiency rating of 283.7. The Warhawks racked up 762 yards of total offense to break the program record - a mark that ranks fourth in WIAC history. UW-Whitewater also tied the program record for passing touchdowns with six in the win.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Paxton Rothmeier, sophomore, running back, Medford, Wis. (Medford)
• UW-La Crosse, Calahan Miles, senior, tight end, Salem, Wis. (Burlington Catholic Central)
• UW-Oshkosh, Demir Ashiru, sophomore, quarterback, Plainfield, Ill. (Plainfield North)
• UW-Platteville, Nathan Uselding, junior, quarterback, Port Washington, Wis. (Port Washington)
• UW-River Falls, Peter McDevitt, sophomore, quarterback, Milwaukee, Wis. (Milwaukee Marquette)
• UW-Stout, Matt Grzybowski, senior, running back, Green Bay, Wis. (Bay Port)

Defense

Paul Morris, senior (McFarland, Wis./McFarland), linebacker of UW-Stevens Point.

In a 17-12 season-opening victory over Augsburg University (Minn.) on Sept. 5, Morris led the UW-Stevens Point defense with 12 tackles, including a pair of solo tackles.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Jimmy McGovern, junior, defensive tackle, Chicago, Ill. (Loyola Academy)
• UW-Platteville, Rob Francis, junior, defensive back, Chicago, Ill. (St. Laurence)
• UW-River Falls, Noah Nusbaum, sophomore, linebacker, Roberts, Wis. (St. Croix Central)
• UW-Stout, Munnikhuysen Braxton, senior, inside linebacker, Claremont, Minn. (Triton)

Special teams

Connor Radaj, senior (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wauwatosa East), kicker of UW-Eau Claire.

Radaj had a career-high three field goals in UW-Eau Claire’s 23-15 win over Alma College (Mich.) on Sept. 5. Just before the half, he knocked home a career-long 48-yard field goal to extend the Blugolds lead to 17-0. In the fourth quarter, Radaj added a 25-yarder and a 36-yarder to UW-Eau Claire's total to help the Blugolds win their season opener for the eighth consecutive season. Radaj was also 2-for-2 on extra point attempts.

Also nominated:

• UW-La Crosse, Maddox Pratt, senior, kicker, Hartford, Wis. (Hartford)
• UW-Oshkosh, John Abernathy, junior, punter, Valdese, N.C. (Valdese Draughn)
• UW-Platteville, Brady Mobley, sophomore, kicker, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)
• UW-River Falls, Johnny Figgins, freshman, kicker, Palmer, Alaska (Palmer Colony)
• UW-Stevens Point, Isaiah Des Jardins, junior, wide receiver, Little Chute, Wis. (St. Francis Xavier)
• UW-Stout, Brady Prieve, junior, punter, Randolph, Wis. (Randolph)

Women’s golf

Julia Imai, junior (Brookline, Mass./Brookline), of UW-Stout.

Imai captured the individual title at the UW-River Falls Falcon Invitational in River Falls placing first among the field of 73 golfers. Imai finished with a 2-over 146. She closed the tournament with an even-par 72 in the second round, recording four birdies and 27 pars over the two rounds. Imai won the individual title by six strokes over her teammate in second place and finished nine strokes ahead of the next WIAC competitor.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Karalyn Skinner, sophomore, Altoona, Wis. (Altoona)
• UW-La Crosse, Haley Thoeny, senior, Lodi, Wis. (Lodi)
• UW-Platteville, Chloe Chappell, junior, Lake Geneva, Wis. (Lake Geneva Badger)
• UW-Stevens Point, Maddie Fletcher, freshman, Viroqua, Wis. (Viroqua)

Men’s soccer

Offense

Westley Hankes, junior (Edgerton, Wis./Edgerton), defense of UW-Platteville.

Hankes scored a pair of goals during the week as the Pioneers opened the season 1-1-1. He scored the team's lone goal in a 1-1 draw against No. 13-ranked Macalester College (Minn.) on Sept. 1, and added a second goal in UW-Platteville's 2-1 win over University of Mount Union (Ohio) on Sept. 6.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Oge Enwemnwa, senior, midfield, Madison, Wis. (Robert M. LaFollette)
• UW-River Falls, Ben Harris, junior, forward, Chippenham, England (Sheldon)
• UW-Stevens Point, Mac Gaskell-Larson, sophomore, midfield, Verona, Wis. (Verona)
• UW-Stout, Logan Bergien, sophomore, midfield, Shakopee, Minn. (Shakopee)
• UW-Whitewater, James Kiraly, junior, forward, Twin Lakes, Wis. (Wilmot Union)

Defense

Carter Eklund, junior (Andover, Minn./Andover), defense of UW-River Falls.

Eklund made an impact on both ends of the field during the Falcons’ first two matches of the 2026 campaign. He scored both UW-River Falls goals in the 2-2 draw against Edgewood University (Wis.), converting both of his shots on goal while playing all 90 minutes. He followed with 65 minutes on the back line in UW-River Falls’ 6-0 victory over North Central College (Minn.). Eklund totaled 155 minutes across the two matches, while adding two goals on three shots.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Alek Laroi, senior, defense, Grayslake, Ill. (Libertyville)
• UW-Whitewater, Mason Diercks, senior, defense, Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)

Women’s soccer

Offense

Jenna Laidlaw, junior (Aberdeen, Scotland/Aberdeen Grammar), forward of UW-Whitewater.

Laidlaw recorded her first career hat trick against Cornell College (Iowa) on Sept. 5. She was a part of the scoring on the first three goals of the game, recording two herself, then given the assist on the third. Laidlaw then scored her third goal in the 64th minute to complete the hat trick. Earlier in the week, the junior forward scored a goal against Concordia University-Chicago. For the week, Laidlaw scored four goals and one assist in just 124 minutes of action.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Mikalyn Hidde, junior, forward/midfield, Zimmerman, Minn. (Elk River)
• UW-La Crosse, Aubree Caya, senior, forward, Oregon, Wis. (Oregon)
• UW-Platteville, Mira Petri, sophomore, forward, Sun Prairie, Wis. (Sun Prairie West)
• UW-River Falls, Brooke McDaniel, senior, midfield, Oak Grove, Minn. (Saint Francis)
• UW-Stevens Point, Sofia Jimenez, sophomore, midfield, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Air Academy)
• UW-Stout, Kayla White, junior, midfield, Neenah, Wis. (Neenah)

Defense

Tessa Czajkowski Higgins, freshman (Prairie du Chien, Wis./Prairie du Chien), defense of UW-Whitewater.

Czajkowski Higgins recorded her first career brace against Coe College (Iowa) to lead the Warhawks to a 6-0 win. In addition to the two goals against the Kohawks, Czajkowski Higgins has led the Warhawks on the defensive end. Through the first three games, the Warhawks have not given up a goal, while only allowing six shots on goal and two corners.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Olivia Lukrafka Varassin, sophomore, midfield, Woodbury, Minn. (East Ridge)
• UW-La Crosse, Catherine Arnold, sophomore, midfield, Fitchburg, Wis. (Madison West)
• UW-Platteville, Marguerite Mueller, senior, goalkeeper, Bolingbrook, Ill. (Bolingbrook)
• UW-River Falls, Lauren Gregory, senior, defense, Elk River, Minn. (Elk River)
• UW-Stevens Point, Jocelyn Blahnik, sophomore, goalkeeper, De Pere, Wis. (De Pere)
• UW-Stout, Kristen Silenzi, senior, goalkeeper, Carpentersville, Ill. (Harry D. Jacobs)

Women’s tennis

Singles

Abigail Weaver, junior (Wakarusa, Ind./Mishawaka Marian), of UW-Whitewater.

Weaver won the top singles draw at the 55th Warhawk Fall Invitational. She opened the invite with two straight-set wins. In the championship match, Weaver took the first set over Pari Chavan of Grinnell College (Iowa) 6-2 and was leading 4-2 in the second set before a retire. Earlier in the week, Weaver defeated Ramirez of Augustana College (Ill.) at No. 1 singles 7-6(5), 6-3 to help the Warhawks open the season with a dual win over the Vikings.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Magdalena Kristo, freshman, Doha, Qatar (Doha British School)
• UW-La Crosse, Lily Jorgenson, junior, Racine, Wis. (The Prairie School)
• UW-River Falls, Sydney Wiener, senior, Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake)
• UW-Stout, Gretchen Murphy, sophomore, Rosemount, Minn. (Rosemount)

Doubles

Maia Samuelson, senior (New Berlin, Wis./New Berlin Eisenhower), and Lauren Lindow, senior (East Troy, Wis./East Troy), of UW-La Crosse.

Samuelson and Lindow compiled a 4-0 record to start the season. The duo opened with a 6-0 victory over Sarah Schaeffer/Peyton Peterson of UW-Oshkosh at No. 3 doubles on Sept. 4. Samuelson and Lindow then captured the No. 2 doubles flight at the UW-Whitewater Warhawk Invitational on Sept. 5. The duo opened with an 8-4 win over Brooke Boland/Beatriz Felchak of UW-Eau Claire before an 8-1 victory over Rya Arreazola/Greta Peterson of Carthage College (Wis.) in the semifinals. Samuelson and Lindow won the flight with an 8-3 win over Margot Groundwater/Eliana Martin of Grinnell College (Iowa).

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Reese Keller, freshman, Hastings, Minn. (Hastings), and Delaney Hanson, junior, New London, Minn. (New London-Spicer)
• UW-River Falls, Sydney Wiener, senior, Forest Lake, Minn. (Forest Lake), and Brooke Lindeman, sophomore, Montevideo, Minn. (Montevideo)

Women’s volleyball

Offense

Samantha Perlberg, senior (Chippewa Falls, Wis./Chippewa Falls), pin hitter of UW-Oshkosh.

Perlberg hit at a .223 clip during the Titans' four wins at the University of Puget Sound (Wash.) Premiere on Sept. 4-5. She totaled 66 kills with at least 10 in each match and a high of 24 against Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.). Perlberg added five assists, three service aces and four blocks on the weekend for 72 points. She was named the Most Outstanding Player at the conclusion of the tournament.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Rachel Johnson, sophomore, opposite, Belle Plaine, Minn. (Belle Plaine)
• UW-La Crosse, Ali Dehnicke, freshman, outside hitter, Andover, Minn. (Andover)
• UW-Platteville, Kennedy Wenger, senior, middle blocker, Mineral Point, Wis. (Mineral Point)
• UW-River Falls, Emily Brenner, senior, outside hitter, Boyd, Wis. (Stanley-Boyd)
• UW-Stevens Point, Carly Thomka, senior, middle blocker, Muskego, Wis. (Muskego)
• UW-Stout, Brooke McCune, senior, outside hitter, Osseo, Wis. (Osseo-Fairchild)
• UW-Whitewater, Penny Schell, freshman, outside hitter, Cross Plains, Wis. (Madison St. Ambrose Academy)

Defense

Callie Panasuk, sophomore (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek), libero of UW-Oshkosh.

Panasuk totaled 83 digs and a .963 reception percentage to help the Titans open their season with a 4-0 mark at the University of Puget Sound (Wash.) Premiere on Sept. 4-5. She recorded a personal-best 32 digs against Pacific Lutheran University (Wash.), while accumulating 12 assists and four service aces across the four matches.

Also nominated:

• UW-Eau Claire, Kaitlyn Erickson, junior, defensive specialist, Champlin, Minn. (Champlin Park)
• UW-La Crosse, Maddy Wilson, sophomore, middle blocker, Onalaska, Wis. (Onalaska)
• UW-Platteville, Kennedy Wenger, senior, middle blocker, Mineral Point, Wis. (Mineral Point)
• UW-River Falls, Audrey Petersen, junior, defensive specialist/libero, Glencoe, Minn. (Glencoe-Silver Lake)
• UW-Stevens Point, Sadie Grabarski, junior, rightside, Waunakee, Wis. (Waunakee)
• UW-Stout, Brynn Hessel, senior, middle blocker, South Range, Wis. (Northwestern)
• UW-Whitewater, Natalie Lawton, sophomore, libero, Elmhurst, Ill. (IC Catholic Prep)