Lott, Donavin receive Iowa Conference weekly accolades

Cornell College senior shooting guard J. Ryan Lott (Overland Park, Kan./Blue Valley Northwest) and senior distance runner Kirkwood Donavin (Salt Lake City, Utah/West) have been named Iowa Conference Performers of the Week in their respective sports for the period ending Feb. 13.

Lott averaged 16.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 blocks in helping the Rams to a pair of conference wins. This is Lott's second IIAC weekly basketball award of the season, having also been cited on Nov. 29, 2010.

Lott scored 10 of his 15 points in the second half of a 55-49 upset Wednesday at IIAC-leader Luther, snapping the team's 11-game losing skid. He also had nine rebounds and four blocked shots against the Norse. Lott put up 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals in a 75-72 home win Saturday over Central as the Rams avenged an early-season loss to the Dutch.

Lott enters the final week of the regular season tied for the IIAC scoring lead at 17.7 points per game. He needs 13 points to join Cornell's 1,000-point club. Lott could reach the milestone in his final home game Wednesday on Senior Night against Loras.

Donavin was voted IIAC Male Track Performer of the Week for the second consecutive week and third time this indoor season.

Donavin reset a 29-year-old school record by more than four seconds with a winning mile time of 4:13.06 at Grinnell College's Darren Young Classic Saturday. He broke the previous school mark of 4:20.10, held by Matt Trimble since 1982.

Donavin held off Principia's Drew Clark by .17 seconds to win the mile. The effort currently leads the IIAC, ranks 11th in Division III and has provisionally qualified Donavin for the NCAA Division III Indoor Championships in March.

Donavin and the Rams return to the track Saturday at the Spartan Open in Dubuque.