The first full week of the athletic season was a success in more ways than one for a pair of HU athletes. Jack Deichert (Sr., Golden Valley, Minn.) was named the first MIAC Men's Cross Country Athlete Of  The Week. First year setter Sammie Miller (Grand Island, Neb.) was also honored as the league's Setter/Libero Of The Week.

It was a week of double honors for Miller. She also was named to the All-Tournament team for her work last weekend in North Park, Ill.

Deichert got his season off to a roaring start, winning the prestigious Luther Invitational meet. He completed his four mile trek in 20:34, edging out an Augustana runner by a single second. It jumpstarted the Pipers, who have won the last two conference men's CC crowns to a third place finish among the 17 teams competing in Decorah, Iowa. The CC runners return to action Sept. 24 at the Roy Griak Invitational at the U of Minnesota.

Miller was busy helping her teammates last week. Over the Pipers' five matches, Miller averaged 8.45 set assists, two digs and more than one kill per set. She started the week with a 29-assist, 12-dig performance against Bethany Lutheran and improved steadily throughout the weekend. She finished with 36, 37 and 42 set assists, respectively, in Hamline's final three matches at North Park. The Pipers' team attack percentage went up this week, to .171, and Miller added three aces and four blocks to her impressive stat line. She is currently on pace for 890 assists, which would rank sixth all-time in school history. Her 290 assists currently ranks in the conference among all players.

Miller and her Hamline teammates start MIAC play with a tough test Tuesday as they head up to Moorhead to face Concordia, currently rated No. 15 in the country in the league conference opener. They'll face more non-conference competition over the weekend with three matches at the UW-River Falls tournament Friday and Saturday.