ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — Cal Lutheran student-athletes Kemi Dijkstra, Zach Hardman, Elyse Koe and Charlie Spina earned Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Athlete of the Week, the conference announced Monday morning.
Djikstra and Koe swept the awards for Women's Water Polo. It is the third time CLU has swept the water polo awards this year. Hardman earned Baseball Pitcher of the Week and Spina garnered the Men's Tennis honor.
Dijkstra (Breda, Calif.) was honored with her first SCIAC Athlete of the Week award and was named the Defensive Athlete. In the regular season finale, the junior helped lift Cal Lutheran to a 14-6 win over Redlands and earn the top seed in the SCIAC Women's Water Polo Postseason Tournament. She notched two steals and provided a goal and an assist in the win. In semifinal action against fourth-seeded La Verne, Dijkstra again tallied two steals and provided a pair of assists to help the Regals seal an 18-11 victory. She then contributed a pair of swipes, and added two more goals to help the Regals clinch the tournament crown with an 11-6 win over Redlands.
Hardman (Westminster, Colo.) earned his first Pitcher of the Week award. In the Kingsmen's conference series win over Redlands, the senior was instrumental on the hill, helping Cal Lutheran to wins of 7-6 and 6-4. In his first appearance, Hardman secured the save, striking out two batters without allowing a hit in an inning of relief. The next day, he pitched 2.1 frames out of the bullpen and picked up a win as he allowed just two hits and walked one, while fanning five batters.
Koe (Camarillo, Calif.) garnered her first SCIAC Athlete of the Week award and was the Offensive Athlete for Women's Water Polo. The senior helped pace Cal Lutheran to the SCIAC Women's Water Polo Postseason Tournament title as the Regals notched an 11-6 win over Redlands on Sunday. In the regular season finale, Koe scored twice and assisted on four goals during a 14-6 win that sealed the top seed in the conference tournament for the Regals. Koe added two more goals and two more helpers in an 18-11 victory over fourth-seeded La Verne in the league tournament semifinals, before striking for two goals and providing a pair of assists in the tournament final against the Bulldogs.
Spina (Valencia, Calif.) earned his second Athlete of the Week honor this spring. The sophomore helped Cal Lutheran edge Chapman, 5-4 in SCIAC play and give the Kingsmen a 3-1 series win over the Panthers. Spina combined with Sean Yaghoubi to win at No. 3 doubles (8-7), and the Valencia, Calif. native then earned a 6-3, 6-2 win at No. 1 singles.
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Release by Ryan Jorgenson, Sports Information Director
