KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced a new Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Week award winner in week eight of the 2025-26 season. Central Oklahoma’s Matthew Willenborg was named the latest MIAA Athlete of the Week for the Bronchos’ second weekly honor of the season.
MIAA MEN’S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Matthew Willenborg, Central Oklahoma
Matthew Willenborg led Central Oklahoma to a perfect 2-0 week with back-to-back overtime wins in Edmond, including a victory over the No. 5-ranked team in the country, Arkansas-Fort Smith. The junior forward averaged 32.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 3.5 blocks, 3.0 steals, and 1.5 assists per game while also making 47.2 percent of his 36 total shots, 38.5 percent of three-point attempts, and hit 25-for-28 at the free-throw line. Willenborg opened the week with a career-high 37 points in Wednesday night’s 97-93 overtime win over Northeastern State. He also recorded 10 rebounds, four blocks, four steals and three assists against the RiverHawks. He followed that with a 27-point outing in Saturday’s 93-86 overtime win over No. 5 Arkansas-Fort Smith, adding nine rebounds, three blocks and two steals. Willenborg currently leads the MIAA in points, rebounds, and blocks through this week.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Xavier Glenn, Northeastern State
Xavier Glenn averaged 26.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game last week as the RiverHawks went 1-1 against MIAA opponents on the road. The senior guard recorded his first double-double of the season in the 96-87 win at Rogers State with a career high 32 points and 13 rebounds. He also added three assists and three blocks on the week. Gleen has now scored at least 20 points in the last six games for Northeastern State, and during MIAA play, he ranks second among players in average points per game.
Treyvon Taylor, Emporia State
Treyvon Taylor averaged a double-double last week as the Hornets split a pair of three-point games in MIAA action. Taylor opened the week with 13 points and eight rebounds in the Hornets’ 73-70 loss to Fort Hays State at home (Jan. 8). He came back with his first career double-double in the Hornets’ 82-79 win over Nebraska Kearney on Saturday (Jan. 10). Taylor totaled 17 points and a career high 12 rebounds in the win over the Lopers.
Connor Rogers, Pittsburg State
Connor Rogers averaged 24.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in a pair of wins over Missouri Southern and Newman last week. The junior guard scored a game high 26 points on an efficient 9-of0 13 shooting in Pitt State's 82-71 road win over the Lions on Jan. 6. He then added a game high 22 points as well as five rebounds and four assists in the Gorillas’ 86-73 home win over the Jets last Thursday (Jan. 8). For the week, Rogers shot 64 percent (16-of-25) from the field, 58.3 percent (7-of-12) from the three-point range and 90 percent (9-of-10) from the free throw line. Rogers ranks third in the MIAA in scoring (20.8 ppg) and fourth in the league in free throw percentage (88.6 percent).
Dillon Claussen, Washburn
Dillon Claussen averaged 14 points and 9.5 rebounds per game as the top-ranked Ichabods collected a pair of MIAA wins over Missouri Western and Northwest Missouri last week. Claussen shot 59 percent overall and 50 percent from the three-point range while adding six assists, four blocks and four steals in the contests.
ALSO NOMINATED:
Dan Mukuna [Fort Hays State], Caden Fry [Rogers State], Colin Ruffin [Missouri Southern], Ty Henry [Missouri Western], Anthony Swift [Nebraska Kearney]
WEEK ONE: Jaden Taylor, Missouri Southern
WEEK TWO: Dan Mukuna, Fort Hays State
WEEK THREE:
Matthew Willenborg, Central Oklahoma
WEEK FOUR:
Landon Short, Pittsburg State
WEEK FIVE:
Dillon Claussen, Washburn
WEEK SIX: Jack Bachelor, Washburn
WEEK SEVEN: Brandon Scott, Arkansas-Fort Smith
WEEK EIGHT: Matthew Willenborg, Central Oklahoma