ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — California Lutheran University student-athletes Kaitlin Gardhouse, Jake MacKinnon, Zaria Opara, Joseph Scalzo, and Hudson Solters were selected Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) Athlete of the Week, the conference announced Monday morning.
Gardhouse (Agoura Hills, Calif.) earned the Women's Water Polo Defensive Athlete of the Week award. It is the fourth weekly award of her career. The graduate student led a stout defensive effort in a 3-0 week for Cal Lutheran, recording five steals and one field block while significantly hampering the opposition in the hole set. The Regals held Occidental College and the University of Redlands to just three goals apiece as Gardhouse added nine drawn exclusions, seven assists and three goals.
MacKinnon (Orcutt, Calif.) was named the Men's Field Athlete of the Week for track & field. It is the third such honor for his career. The junior finished runner-up in the hammer throw and just missed the podium in his other two events at the Oxy Distance Carnival & Spring Break Classic. He launched the hammer 44.75 meters, put the shot 12.69m and threw the discus 37.87m.
Opara (Carnation, Wash.) garnered the Women's Field Athlete of the Week for track & field. She earned the award for the fifth time in her career. The senior won the discus and finished runner-up in her two other throws at the Oxy Distance Carnival & Spring Break Classic. She improved on two of her season-best marks with a 38.78-meter toss in the discus and 44.12m hammer.
Scalzo (Pleasanton, Calif) earned the Baseball Hitter of the Week award. It is the first weekly award of his career. The senior recorded multi-hit games in all four appearances on the week as Cal Lutheran took a SCIAC series against the University of Redlands and defeated Nebraska Wesleyan University. He racked up nine RBI and scored four runs on eight hits, including three for extra bases, to go with one walk. He was perfect at the cold corner with 29 putouts and two assists while capping off three double plays.
Solters (Newcastle, Calif.) was named the Men's Golfer of the Week. It is the first weekly award of his career. The sophomore finished in a tie for fourth with a strong 145-stroke total over two rounds at the Schreiner Shootout. He shot a one-under-par 71 in the first round to help the Kingsmen place fifth overall and third among Division III institutions in a tough field.
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