MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – Three UW-Eau Claire student-athletes have been named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Athletes of the Week, WIAC Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations Matt Stanek announced today.

Earning recognition this week were women’s soccer player Nina Behrenbrinker (So.-St. Paul, Minn./Cretin-Derham Hall), women’s tennis player Taylor Heltne (Jr.-Inver Grove Heights, Minn./Simley) and football player Austin Neu (Jr.-Iron Ridge, Wis./Hustisford).

Behrenbrinker played 180 minutes in goal for the Blugolds during the week and helped lead the team to two victories in Minnesota. On Sept. 9, she needed to stop just one shot as the Blugolds beat College of St. Benedict (Minn.) 1-0.  The shutout was her second of the season. Against Augsburg College (Minn.) on Sept. 10, she made six saves as the Blugolds won 3-1.

Heltne remained undefeated on the season after winning twice at No. 1 singles in Iowa during the week. She used super tiebreakers to defeat both of her opponents and improve to 4-0 on the year. Facing Luther College (Iowa), she won 6-4, 2-6, 10-5, while picking up a 1-6, 6-4, 10-6 win against College of St. Benedict (Minn.).

Neu was a key factor in the Blugolds’ 47-19 victory over No. 25-ranked St. John’s University (Minn.) on Sept. 10. He threw for three touchdowns and finished with 242 yards passing with 13 completions on 18 attempts. Neu also ran for a touchdown as he recorded a total of 37 yards on the ground.  On one of his rushing attempts, he took the ball 31 yards on a third-and-19 to get a first down and keep the drive alive. Later in the drive, he threw his first touchdown pass of the day. Neu’s second touchdown pass of the day came on a 52-yard toss to Jesse Linsmeyer.

-KM-