(UW-Whitewater submission) Olivia Kraft, a native of Whitewater, WI, and student-athlete at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, was one of four Warhawks who were named Kwik Trip Athletes of the Week by the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for the week of April 5-11, 2021.

Donovan Brandl (Rudolph, Wis./Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln) is the Warhawk baseball team’s third different Pitcher of the Week for the 2021 season. Brandl is a first-time honoree. Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield) of the women’s track and field team, the Women’s Field Athlete of the Week, is the program’s first selection of the 2021 season.

Paige Nierman (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Stevenson) and Olivia Kraft (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community), the Women’s Tennis Athletes of the Week in doubles, have now garnered the award twice in 2021. The duo was also recognized for their performance from March 22-28.

Baseball – Pitcher

Donovan Brandl (Rudolph, Wis./Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln), Freshman

Brandl didn’t allow a run over two appearances last week, helping the No. 16 Warhawks to a 4-0 record. He started the week Tuesday with a scoreless inning of relief, striking out two in UW-Whitewater’s 9-5 victory on the road. Three days later, he tossed a complete-game, two-hit shutout, striking out eight in the Warhawks’ 15-0 home triumph in seven innings. Brandl also finished 7-for-21 (.333 avg.) with three doubles and four runs batted at the plate over that span.

Women’s Field

Gracie Holland (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield), Freshman

Holland placed first out of 15 competitors in the pole vault with a career-best height of 12-02.00 (3.71 meters) to help the Warhawks place third at Dubuque’s Spartan Invite on Saturday. She is currently tied for the No. 1 mark in both the WIAC and NCAA Division III and was only two feet shy of the UW-W program record in the event. Holland also scored team points in the long jump, placing fifth with a distance of 16-10.75 (5.15 meters), good for 15th on the conference’s outdoor performance list.

Women’s Tennis – Doubles

Paige Nierman (Hawthorn Woods, Ill./Stevenson) Senior, and Olivia Kraft (Bloomington, Ill./Normal Community), Junior

Nierman and Kraft posted a 2-0 record in doubles matches last week to help UW-Whitewater remain undefeated (4-0) in the WIAC and extend its unbeaten streak against conference opponents in dual matches to 106. The duo topped Michelle Spicer and Maddie Toboyek 8-1 at No. 1 doubles last Tuesday at UW-Oshkosh, helping the Warhawks post a 9-0 win. Four days later, Nierman and Kraft combined for an 8-0 triumph at No. 2 doubles over Emily Cooper and Alexa Brooks of UW-Eau Claire in UW-Whitewater’s 9-0 victory at Lake Geneva Tennis. Nierman and Kraft are now 4-2 playing together during the 2021 season.

For more than 150 years, UW-Whitewater has provided students with the education and training to begin their careers with a solid foundation behind them. The UW-Whitewater is committed to the development of the individual, the growth of personal and professional integrity and respect for diversity and global perspectives. These are met by providing academic and co-curricular programs that emphasize the pursuit of knowledge and understanding and a commitment to service within a safe and secure environment.