ST. PAUL, Minn. - It was another successful week in Northwestern athletics, as three Eagles were recognized by the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference on Tuesday morning as conference Athletes of the Week. Japheth Nyamari (Anoka, Minn./Anoka) earned the Men's Basketball honor, while Rein Hayashi (Kyoto, Japan/Kansai Christian School) got the Women's Tennis North Division nod, and Alaina Wojtowski (Oshkosh, Wis./Valley Christian) claimed the Women's Indoor Track award.

The full UMAC press release can be accessed here.

Nyamari's second UMAC Men's Basketball Player of the week nod of the season was certainly worthy of the acclaim, as the senior put together an historic week on the hardwood. Wednesday night against UW-Superior, the Anoka native led UNW to a 99-77 win behind a career-high 40 points (tied for fifth in program history) while setting a new program record for three-pointers in a game, sinking 10 of his 13 tries. Both totals, as well as his 15 made field goals, rank near the top of the UMAC record books as well. Nyamari finished off the week with 30 points at Minnesota Morris to bring his average for the two games to 35 points, including three-consecutive games of 30 or more.

For the second-consecutive week, Hayashi was named the UMAC Women's Tennis North Division Player of the Week. Pretty impressive when you consider she has only played two weeks of collegiate tennis. The freshman went 2-2 on Saturday in Madison, Wisconsin, including picking up Northwestern's only point of the day with a 6-4, 6-4 win at No. 2 doubles against Loras. She also teamed up with Sarah Langridge (Savage, Minn./Prior Lake) for a 6-2 No. 1 doubles win against the Duhawks and holds a 5-3 overall record this season.

Rounding out the trio of winners this week was Alaina Wojtowski (Oshkosh, Wis./Valley Christian), who earns her first weekly honor as the UMAC Women's Track Athlete of the Week. The freshman took sixth place in both the 60 and 200-meter dashes at the UW-River Falls Winter Invitational on Saturday, vaulting her up the UMAC leaderboard in the process. Her 60-meter prelim time of 8.11 ties her for the top spot in the conference, while her finish of 27.85 seconds in the 200 ranks her second.

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Northwestern's 2025-26 UMAC Athlete of the Week Honors (41)

Men's Cross Country Runner of the Week (1)
9/3: Tyler Dueber

Women's Golf Player of the Week (5)
9/3: Morgan Eckman
9/9: Paige Johnson (Zimmerman, Minn./Homeschool)
9/16: Morgan Eckman
9/23: Paige Johnson (Zimmerman, Minn./Homeschool)
9/30: Morgan Eckman

Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week (4)
9/3: Naomi Meehan
10/7: Marie Kendall
10/21: Haley Mersberger
11/4: Haley Mersberger

Volleyball Setter of the Week (8)
9/3: Addeson Jenniges
9/16: Addeson Jenniges
10/7: Addeson Jenniges
10/14: Addeson Jenniges
10/21: Addeson Jenniges
10/28: Addeson Jenniges
11/4: Addeson Jenniges
11/11: Addeson Jenniges

Volleyball Defensive Player of the Week (3)
9/3: Marley Aune
9/9: Marley Aune
11/11: Marley Aune

Men's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week (1)
9/9: Troy Johnson

Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week (3)
9/9: Marie Kendall
10/7: Mallory Moseman
11/4: Mallory Moseman

Men's Golf Player of the Week (3)
9/16: Jakob Swanson
9/23: Shane Seiffert
9/30: Jakob Swanson

Women's Cross Country Runner of the Week (1)
10/7: Emery Maki (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing)

Volleyball Offensive Player of the Week (2)
10/7: Ana Egge
10/21: Anja Jarchow

Football Defensive Player of the Week (2)
10/28: Jayden Goodwin
11/11: Austin Ahrendt

Men's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week (1)
11/4: Jay'ce Jones
 
Men's Basketball Player of the Week (2)
11/25: Japheth Nyamari (Anoka, Minn./Anoka)
2/10: Japheth Nyamari (Anoka, Minn./Anoka)

Women's Indoor Track Athlete of the Week (2)
1/27: Emery Maki (Hibbing, Minn./Hibbing)
2/10: Alaina Wojtowski (Oshkosh, Wis./Valley Christian)

Men's Tennis North Division Player of the Week (1)
2/3: Carson Haack

Women's Tennis North Division Player of the Week (2)
2/3: Rein Hayashi (Kyoto, Japan/Kansai Christian School)
2/10: Rein Hayashi (Kyoto, Japan/Kansai Christian School)