As most winter sports entered the postseason, spring sports began conference play. This provided a variety of competitors for the athlete and team of the week selections.
Men’s Athlete of the Week: Carter Putz, Baseball
Senior first baseman Carter Putz put forth a dynamic effort in three games, sparking the Irish to a trio of victories. Putz finished with six hits in 12 at-bats, knocking in four runs. He added a home run and scored a total of six times. His home run came at a pivotal time, breaking up a shutout in the seventh inning against No. 17 NC State. Eventually, the Irish rallied to win the Friday contest. After a Saturday cancellation, Putz got back to it Sunday. He went 3-4, notching two RBIs and scoring twice. Batting .500 over a three-game span, with two games against top-20 conference competition, Putz earned his first Athlete of the Week nod.Honorable Mention: Stephen Ewart, Fencing
Senior epee Stephen Ewart won 15 of his 16 bouts at the Midwest Regional to claim the NCAA regional title. First competing in a pool of six, Ewart went 5-0 to advance to the final pool of 12. There, Ewart went 10-1 to claim victory by a two-bout margin over his fellow competitors. His victory in the 18-fencer field earned him honorable mention heading into the NCAA Championships.Women’s Athlete of the Week: Atara Greenbaum, Fencing
Sophomore saber Atara Greenbaum had herself a weekend at the NCAA Midwest Regionals, claiming the saber regional title. Greenbaum went 4-1 in her initial set of pool play matches which advanced her into the final pool of 12 fencers as the fourth seed. There, the sophomore dominated. She won all 11 of her bouts, finishing 15-1 on the day. Amidst her final round victories, Greenbaum avenged her only loss of the tournament, to Ohio State’s Julieta Toledo. Greenbaum’s dominance, particularly in the final round, earned her the Women’s Athlete of the Week.Honorable Mention: Rachel Tanczos, Track & Field
Graduate student thrower Rachel Tanczos claimed her fourth nomination for the award this week. She earned it after a fourth-place finish at the NCAA individual championships in the weight throw. Tanczos launched her best effort 23.06 meters, not far shy of a 23.31 career-best. It was a competitive field, and Tanczos needed a throw of well over 24 meters to crack the top-three. For a season-best effort and high finish, Tanczos earned honorable mention.Team of the Week: Notre Dame Baseball
The Irish baseball squad took home team of the week as they won three games. The trio of victories extended their winning streak to nine games. Their record stands at 11-1. Notre Dame kicked off the week by dismantling Elon on the strength of eight third-inning runs. Then, the Irish traveled to No. 17 NC State for their ACC opener. Down 4-0 in the seventh, the Irish tied the game and won in 12 frames, 8-4. In the series finale with the Wolfpack, the Irish finished off the sweep with an 11-4 victory, pulling away late. For an undefeated week that landed them at No. 1 in several polls, the Irish baseball squad claimed team of the week.Nominees
Men’s Athlete of the Week: Putz (Baseball, 1st nomination), Ewart (Fencing, 1st), Jack Brannigan (Baseball, 1st), Prentiss Hubb (Basketball, 1st)WomenÆs Athlete of the Week: Greenbaum (Fencing, 1st nomination), Tanczos (Track & Field, 4th), Jadin O’Brien (Track & Field, 4th), Shannon Becker (Softball, 1st)
