NCAC WEEKLY NEWSLETTER & ATHLETES OF THE WEEK PRESENTED BY ATHLIANCE

Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Jamir Billings, Wooster
Wooster first-year Jamir Billings (Lorain, OH/Lorain) averaged 16.0 points, 11.0 assists, 5.5 steals, and 5.0 rebounds per game during a 2-0 week for the Fighting Scots. Billings tied the 49-year-old program record with 12 assists during a 91-77 win over Kenyon on Wednesday. He added 10 more on Saturday in an 83-80 win against Wittenberg to become the first player in Wooster’s storied basketball history with three games with at least 10 assists, and is the first player to have back-to-back games with at least 10. Additionally, Billings tied Wooster’s single-game program record with seven steals against the Tigers. Billings logged double-doubles in both wins, scoring 17 points against Kenyon and 15 against Wittenberg.

Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Camille Zinaich, Oberlin
Oberlin freshman Camille Zinaich (Boonsboro, MD/Saint Maria Goretti) helped the Yeowomen post a 3-0 conference record with wins against Hiram, Denison and Kenyon last week. In a victory over Hiram, she recorded a triple-double, tallying 18 points to go along with 11 boards, 10 assists and four steals. After scoring four points and two rebounds while battling foul trouble in a win against Denison, she bounced back with career-best performance in a 77-75 overtime win over Kenyon, posting another triple-double, 21 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists. For the week, she averaged 14.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 8.0 assists and is the only player in Division III to have two triple-doubles so far this season.

Men’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week – Daren Glore, Wabash
Wabash senior Daren Glore (Indianapolis, IN/North Central) won two individual events in the Little Giants’ first home meet of the 2022 season. Glore won the 200 freestyle event with a time of 1:45.94 and added another individual victory by winning the 500 free with a time of 4:53.38. The senior also swam the second leg of the Little Giants’ winning 200 freestyle relay that finished with a time of 1:27.60.

Women’s Swimming & Diving Athlete of the Week – Ollie Bream, Wooster
Wooster first-year Ollie Bream (Pinehurst, TX/Firbank Grammar School (Australia)) helped lead the Fighting Scots to a team win over Baldwin Wallace on Friday. Bream posted gold performances in the 200 IM (2:15.58), the 200 butterfly (2:14.45), and as part of the 400 medley relay (4:12.05).

Men’s Sprints & Hurdles Athlete of the Week – Tapiwa Gono Phiri, Kenyon
Kenyon freshman Tapiwa Gono Phiri (Ndola, Zambia/Hillcrest National Tech) led the Lords to a second place finish at the Wooster Invitational on Saturday. The first-year won the 200-meter dash in 23.62 seconds after taking second in the 60 meters (7.13). After his individual races, he anchored Kenyon’s 800-meter relay team which secured a first-place finish with a time of 1:35.35.

Men’s Distance/Middle Distance Athlete of the Week – Ian McCandlish, Wittenberg
Wittenberg freshman Ian McCandlish (Lancaster, OH/St. Francis DeSales) posted two victories at the Otterbein Snow Globe Invitational. In the 800-meter dash, McCandlish broke the tape in 1:57.97, followed by helping the Tiger 4×400 relay to a first-place finish with a time of 3:38.66.

Men’s Field Athlete of the Week – Zack Lee, Oberlin
Oberlin junior Zack Lee (New York, NY/Bard High School Early College) turned in two personal-best performances at the Wooster Invitational. Lee moved into first in the conference and 23rd in the country in the triple jump with a mark of 13.68 meters. He also placed fourth in the 200 meters with a career-best time of 24.84.

Women’s Sprints/Hurdles Athlete of the Week – Lindsey Magoteaux, Wittenberg
Wittenberg freshman Lindsey Magoteaux (Sidney, OH/Lehman Catholic) helped the Tiger women to a first-place finish in the 4×200 relay at the Otterbein Snow Globe Invitational with a time of 1:51.82. She also timed in at 8.06 seconds in the 60-meter dash, finishing in fourth place.

Women’s Distance/Middle Distance of the Week – Dylan Kretchmar, Wooster
Wooster first-year Dylan Kretchmar (Granville, OH/Granville) won the 3,000-meter run in her collegiate track & field debut at Saturday’s Wooster Invitational. Her time of 10:49.46 led a field of 10 and is currently No. 2 in the NCAC this season.

Women’s Field Athlete of the Week – Malaika Djungu-Sungu, Oberlin
Oberlin senior Malaika Djungu-Sungu (Arlington, TX/Arlington) moved into second in the conference and 41st in the nation in the triple jump with her winning mark of 10.82 meters at the Wooster Invitational. The current conference leader in the long jump took third in that event (4.87m) on Saturday while also adding a third-place showing in a 10-person field in the 60-meter dash (8.52).

NCAC Milestones & Records (Jan. 10 – Jan. 16)

Wooster, Men’s Basketball – Wooster first-year Jamir Billings (Lorain, OH/Lorain) tied the Fighting Scots’ 49-year-old record for assists with 12 against Kenyon during Wednesday’s 91-77 win. He passed out 10 more assists during Saturday’s 83-80 win over Wittenberg and is the first player in Wooster’s storied program history with three games with at least 10 assists and the first player with back-to-back games with at least 10 assists. Billings tied the program’s single-game record with seven steals against the Tigers.

Wooster, Swimming & Diving – Wooster head coach Rob Harrington collected his 250th dual meet win with the Fighting Scots with Friday’s sweep over Baldwin Wallace.

COURTESY NCAC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS