Scheels Cobber Athletes Of The Week
MOORHEAD, Minn. (11/25/15)—This week’s Scheels Cobber Athletes of the Week lived up to the selection criteria motto that “you have to win to get in.” Concordia freshman wrestler Hunter SantAmour and senior swimmer Annie Herkenhoff had a combined seven wins and earned this week’s athlete of the week honors.
Scheels is pleased to congratulate the Cobber Athletes of the Week award winners. Each week the Concordia sports information department will choose a deserving Cobber male and female athlete of the week.
Scheels has been a longtime supporter of Concordia athletics and is excited to continue their showcasing of the great passion that Cobber athletes bring to the game. Like Cobber athletes, Scheels has a long tradition of quality commitment to athletics. The first Scheels store was opened in 1902 and throughout the years the company has backed local athletic programs. Today, Scheels is a 25-store operation with stores in 10 states and was recently voted the best sporting goods store by Sports Illustrated Kids magazine.
MEN’S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
HUNTER SANTAMOUR – Fr. (El Paso, Ill./El Paso Gridley HS)
Hunter SantAmour won all six matches he wrestled in during the week. He started his award-winning stint by earning the match-winning points in the Cobbers dramatic 16-15 win over cross-town rival MSU Moorhead. SantAmour entered the mat with Concordia clinging to a slim 13-12 lead. He cemented the overall team victory by coming up with a late takedown in the third period. The match was tied at 1-1 when SantAmour was able to get inside and grab the takedown. He gave up an escape late to make the final 3-2 but was able to defend against a potential match-winning takedown late in the third period.
SantAmour backed that match-winning performance up by going 4-0 at the FinnGrinaker Cobber Open and winning the 197-lb weight class in the maroon division. He had three "bonus point results in his four matches at the invite. He started his title trek with pin falls in the first two rounds over wrestlers from South Dakota State and Northland. He then posted a major decision in the semifinals before beating Caleb Ward from South Dakota State in the championship match. Ward was the Kansas state high school runner-up last year.
WOMEN’S ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
ANNIE HERKENHOFF – Sr., (Freeport, Minn./Melrose HS)
Like the men’s winner, Herkenhoff posted multiple victories for the week. She led the Cobber swimming and diving team in their Senior Day celebration dual meet with Minn.-Morris on Saturday. Herkenhoff led by example at the meet as she won both the 1000-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle events. Not only did she claim victories in the races but both winning times were season best efforts.
Herkenhoff has had a successful senior season in the pool after spending last year as a member of the Cobber women’s basketball team. She decided to change sports this season and the switch has paid dividends for Herkenhoff and the Concordia swim and dive team.
Her win in the 1000-yard freestyle came in the first individual event of the afternoon. She raced to an 11:29.30 and won the event by almost a full minute. Her time was a season best by 19 seconds.
Herkenhoff touched the wall in a time of 5:39.54 in the 500-yard freestyle which was also a season best. She won the race by 11.17 seconds. Herkenhoff has now had at least two top 3 finishes in all three meets for the Cobbers this year.