GALESBURG, Ill. ­— The Knox College athletics department announced its Male and Female Athletes of the Week for events played between Sept. 24-30, and Emmanuel Mariano of the men's soccer team and Zoe Thunhurst of the volleyball squad took home the honors.

Mariano, a junior co-captain from Manila, Phillippines, scored the game-winning goal against Coe College last Tuesday in the home opener for the Prairie Fire. The Kohawks had tied the game at one early in the second half, but Mariano put Knox back on top when he scored off a rebound on a save in the 65th minute for his second career goal. The Prairie Fire defense then made sure that goal held up, keeping Coe off the board for the last 25 minutes in the 2-1 victory, snapping a four-game skid.

A first-year setter from Garland, Texas, Thunhurst provided a bright spot in a loss at Elmhurst University on Saturday. The rookie tied for the team lead with three kills without an error in five attempts, plus led Knox with seven assists and seven digs. For the season, Thunhurst leads the team in attack percentage (.185) and service aces (9), ranks second in assists (74), fourth in digs (54) and even has five block assists.

The Knox Athletes of the Week will be announced every Tuesday afternoon throughout the athletic calendar.