MADISON, Wis. (Blugolds.com) – UW-Eau Claire women's diver Sara Axness (So.-Eau Claire, Wis./Memorial) and women's volleyball player Lauren Sutherland (Sr.-Dayton, Minn./Meadow Creek Christian) have been named Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Athletes of the Week, WIAC Assistant Commissioner for Media Relations Matt Stanek announced today.

Axness led the way for the Blugold divers against UW-Stevens Point and St. Cloud State University (Minn.) on Oct. 26, by winning both the one and three-meter events with scores of 288.50 and 297.20, respectively.  Her mark on the three-meter board was a new pool record, beating out Blugold Hall of Famer Sara Mulatz, who held the record of 293.20 since 1995.  It was also just one point shy of the school record, which Mulatz also holds.  The marks were also national qualify scores.  The prior weekend as the Blugolds opened the season against Minnesota State University-Mankato, Axness won the three-meter dive with a score of 249.10, while taking third in the one-meter with 238 points.

Playing in three conference matches during the week, the Blugolds went 2-1 to finish in second place in the WIAC.  Sutherland led the Blugolds in digs all three times, totaling 63 for the week. She also had six set assists and two service aces.  Facing No. 21-ranked UW-Stevens Point on Oct. 23, a match the Blugolds lost 3-0, she recorded 17 digs to lead the match.  The Blugolds bounced back on Oct. 25 with a 3-1 win over No. 25-ranked UW-Whitewater, and she had 26 digs to lead both teams.  In a 3-0 win over UW-Oshkosh on Oct. 26, she led the Blugolds with 21 digs.  In her career, she now has 1,669 digs, third most in school history.

-KM-