NCAC RELEASE

CLEVELAND, Ohio – On Tuesday morning, the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) announced their Athletes of the Week. Amongst those named were three Ohio Wesleyan University student-athletes: senior cornerback Jake Smothers for football defensive player, freshman defender Zoe Smith for field hockey, and junior MacKenzie Carter for women's swimming and diving.

Smothers put the finishing touches on the Bishops' 55-13 win over Kenyon on Saturday, with an 84-yard punt return touchdown in the fourth quarter. Not only did Smothers' TD seal the deal in getting the Red and Black back in the win column, but it also tied Kevin Herman in 2013 for the third-longest punt return in OWU history. Smothers also contributed two tackles to the team's totals, both solo.

Smith played hero for Ohio Wesleyan on Saturday as she converted on a penalty stroke in overtime to put the Bishops past Wittenberg 1-0, keeping the OWU alive in the race for first place in the conference. She now has three goals on the season and remains the go-to for coach Semit when it comes to penalty strokes.

Carter had a huge meet against Case Western Reserve on Saturday as she took first place in all three of her individual events and led the Battling Bishops' medley relay team to a victory as well. She posted times of 27.37 in the 50 yard backstroke, 25.19 in the 50 yard freestyle, and 27.10 in the 50 yard butterfly with a split time of 27.67 as she led off with the backstroke leg of the 200 yard medley relay.

Smothers, Smith, and Carter are the fourth, fifth, and sixth NCAC Athlete of the Week honorees for Ohio Wesleyan this academic year.