UNI Honors December Student-Athletes of the Month

The University of Northern Iowa department of athletics has announced its December Student-Athletes of the Month sponsored by Transamerica as voted on by the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

This months' honorees are Madison Weekly (Atkins, Iowa), Katie Taylor (Muskego, Wis.), Spencer Haldeman (Peosta, Iowa) and Taylor Lujan (Carrolltown, Ga.).

Madison Weekly - Women's Basketball

Senior Madison Weekly averaged 15.4 points per game during the month of December, leading the Panthers to three consecutive wins to end 2016. She also averaged 3.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists through five games. She had one of her most complete games of the month in UNI's win over Creighton, scoring 12 points, shooting 66-percent from the three. She added seven assists and only one turnovers in 36 minutes of playing time. The Atkins, Iowa, native finished up the month with back-to-back games in the 20-point range, scoring 23 against North Dakota and a game-high 20 in UNI's win over #24 Kansas State. She shot 50-percent from the field and the arc against the Wildcats, adding a career-high eight dimes and a season-high six rebounds.

Katie Taylor - Swimming & Diving

Taylor struck the record boards at the Nebraska-Omaha Invitational, shattering her previous record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:04.33 and a first place finish. Taylor came close to the school record in the 400 IM, timing in at four minutes, twenty-five seconds and forty-nine hundredths of a second for a first place finish. Taylor also nabbed a first place finish in the 100 backstroke, timing in at 55.96. Taylor would team up for a first place finish in the 800 freestyle relay, timing in at 7:33.93. Taylor placed second in the 100 IM with a time of 59.22. Taylor would lead the pack in the 200 backstroke, timing in at 2:02.61.

Spencer Haldeman - Men's Basketball

Haldeman drained a team-best 14 3-pointers in the month of December. He ranked second on the squad by averaging 10.5 points per game in six December contests. Haldeman scored a career-high 18 points at Wyoming (Dec. 3). Haldeman made at least one 3-pointer in all six games. He finished the month shooting 83.3 percent from the foul line by draining 15-of-18 free throws.

Taylor Lujan - Wrestling

UNI redshirt freshman Taylor Lujan cracked the national rankings for the first time in his career after knocking off a top-10 foe. Lujan stormed his way through the UNI Open with two falls and a decision to reach the finals. He nearly had Zac Brunson of Illinois pinned, but wasn't unable to get the fall. His near fall points and aggressive offense earned him a UNI Open title with a 13-10 decision. Brunson was ranked eighth in the FloWrestling rankings. His win launched him into the national rankings and earned him the conference's top spot. He is now ranked in the top 10 of all major rankings. He became UNI's first MAC Wrestler of the Week of the season, earning the conference's top honors Dec. 5. He followed up his UNI Open title with a 10-3 win over Wisconsin's Ryan Christensen. Lujan ended the month, 12-1 overall, 4-1 in duals and 1-0 in the MAC. His only loss is a 9-7 decision to No. 2 Zach Epperly of Virginia Tech. Lujan is majoring in business. Lujan has earned bonus points in half of his wins with four falls, one tech fall and a major decision.

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