Dicus, Flores named IIAC Athletes of the Week

Cornell College swept the Iowa Conference's top individual awards for the first week of the fall as freshman middle hitter Taylor Dicus and sophomore quarterback Juan Flores were named IIAC Female and Male Athletes of the Week for the period ending Sept. 5.

Dicus was tabbed the league's Volleyball Hitter of the Week, and Flores the Football Offensive Player of the Week. Cornell sophomore free safety Nick Brautigam (Football Defense) and senior Allie Jagielo (Women's Cross Country) were also honored as performers of the week in their respective sports.

Dicus had an exceptional start to her Cornell career in leading the Rams to a perfect 4-0 start to the season. The 6-foot-2 Mount Vernon High School graduate posted a blistering .646 hitting percentage with 33 kills (3.00 kps) and only two errors in 48 total attacks.

Dicus tallied a team-best 12 blocks and fired three service aces. The Rams swept three foes at the Viking Invitational Sept. 3 in Rock Island, Ill., and rolled to a 25-16, 25-11, 25-17 victory over Grinnell in Monday's home opener. Dicus hit .769 with 10 kills on 13 attempts in the Grinnell match.

Flores had a big day on the grid iron in Cornell's 36-35 season-opening victory at Olivet (Mich.). The 5-9 signal-caller entered the contest midway through the second quarter and brought the Rams back from a 21-3 deficit. Flores accounted for four touchdowns, including a winning 3-yard strike to Thomas Connor with 7:16 remaining in the game.

Flores finished 12-of-16 passing for 123 yards and two touchdowns. He led all rushers with 103 yards on 11 carries. Flores had scoring runs of 1 and 44 yards.

Brautigam registered 10 tackles - 7 solos - and came up with a key interception for a touchdown with the Rams trailing 21-10 early in the third quarter. He picked off a pass on Olivet's opening drive of the third quarter and ran it back 60 yards for a score.

Jagielo was crowned individual champion for the third consecutive year at the University of Dubuque's Spartan Opener Sept. 1 in Dubuque. She covered the 3K course in 11:43.2, beating her closest competitor by 15 seconds. The Rams ran away with the women's team title with a perfect score of 15 points.