GALESBURG, Ill. ­— The Knox College athletics department announced its Male and Female Athletes of the Week for events that occurred between March 24-30. The honors went to sophomore Stephanie Nelson of the women's outdoor track and field team and senior Brandon Ward of the baseball team.

Nelson, hailing from Newton, Kansas, opened the outdoor season by throwing the hammer 38.18 meters (125 feet 3 inches), the fourth longest toss in Prairie Fire history in her first outdoor event at Knox. In the indoor season, the daughter of head coach Mark Nelson set a new school record in the weight throw and was named the Knox Female Athlete of the Week twice.

Over on the baseball diamond, Ward made his mark on the mound, appearing in relief in two games and earning the victory in each one. First the native of Chillicothe, Illinois, put a pair of goose eggs on the board in the final game of the spring trip in Florida, allowing the Prairie Fire to earn a walk-off victory in the bottom of the ninth, 4-3. Then on Saturday, Ward entered the second game against Ripon in the fourth inning and did not allow an earned run while striking out five for the remainder of the game. Knox was able to mount a rally from an 8-1 deficit and come away with another walk-off triumph, 9-8, for the team's first Midwest Conference win of the season.

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