Dean Trailways Comets of the Week - November 20, 2023

The Dean Trailways Male Comets of the Week are senior Ryan Bart, of Grand Rapids, and graduate of Kenowa Hills High School, and Boe Eckman, of White Pigeon, and graduate of Constantine High School.

Bart averaged 18 points in helping the men’s basketball team win two games. He scored 20 points in a 91-60 victory over Defiance (Ohio) College and followed that with 16 points in an 82-68 win over Penn State Altoona (Pa.). For the two games, Bart made 11-of-20 baskets (55.0 percent), including 6-of-14 (42.9 percent) from behind the arc and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the free throw line. He grabbed nine rebounds, dished out assists and made five steals, while committing only one turnover in 58 minutes of action.

At 285 pounds, Eckman posted a 3-0 record in leading the wrestling team to two wins at the Comet Duals. He began the day with a 16-0 technical fall win over Jadon Brownlee from Ohio Northern University, who is ranked No. 5 in the NWCA regional poll. Eckman then sealed Olivet’s wins over University of Mount Union (Ohio) University and Heidelberg (Ohio) University, where the outcome came down to him in the final bout. He won an 18-6 decision over Nicholas Hickman (Mount Union) to help the Comets win 24-19 and then defeated Demitrius Hernandez (Mount Union), 8-1, for the team’s 23-21 come-from-behind win.

The Dean Trailways Female Comet of the Week is senior Jennifer Mann, of Orange, California, and graduate of Villa Park High School. Mann won two individual events and took second in her third individual event at the Malone (Ohio) University Invitational. She captured the 400-yard individual medley (4:38.94) by nearly 18 seconds over the runner-up finisher and 200-yard breaststroke (2:29.35). Mann was second in the 500-yard freestyle (5:15.71), losing the race by less than one second.