SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Junior slugger Mitch Iliff has been named the NSIC Player of the Week following a monster offensive stretch that powered the Cougars through a five-game slate against Minnesota State Mavericks and Concordia-St. Paul Golden Bears.

Iliff delivered one of the most dominant weeks at the plate in the NSIC this season, hitting .579 (11-for-19) with 12 runs scored, 13 RBIs, five home runs, two doubles and one triple. He posted a staggering 1.579 slugging percentage and .654 on-base percentage while totaling 30 bases. Defensively, Iliff was just as reliable, recording 26 putouts with a perfect fielding percentage.

The Hastings, Minnesota native opened the week in a two-game set against Minnesota State, putting together a historic performance. In game one, Iliff went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, a double and a triple. He followed that up in game two by going 2-for-4 with two runs, three RBIs and a home run—completing the cycle across the doubleheader.

Iliff's biggest moment against the Mavericks came late, when he delivered a clutch, game-tying home run in the ninth inning, igniting the Cougars and showcasing his ability to deliver in high-pressure situations.

He carried that momentum into a three-game series against Concordia-St. Paul, where his power surge reached another level. Iliff went 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBIs, two home runs and a walk in game one. He followed with arguably his most impactful performance of the week in game two, finishing 2-for-4 with two runs, six RBIs, two home runs and a sacrifice fly.

Iliff closed the series with another strong showing, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBIs, a double and three walks in the finale, capping off a week where he reached base at an elite rate and consistently produced in run-scoring situations.

Across the five games, Iliff recorded multiple hits in every contest and homered in three different games, including two multi-home run performances. His ability to combine power, plate discipline and timely hitting fueled the Cougars' offensive success throughout the week.

Head Coach Grant Hieb praised Iliff's complete performance at the plate and in the field.

"Mitch was fun to watch last week," Hieb said. "When he gets going, he's the type of player that can carry your offense. And he definitely got hot last weekend. He's been a staple in the middle of our lineup the last couple of years and I feel like he was putting a lot of pressure on himself when we struggled with the bats early in the season. He's learning to take what the game gives him and lately has been capitalizing on his opportunities. Hopefully he can keep putting good at-bats together for us and keep playing at this level. His defense at first base has been huge for us as well, and the versatility to be able to run around the outfield and play it at a high level gives us even more options with our bats if we need them. He's a big reason this program has been on the steady rise the last few years and I'm glad to see all his hard work is paying off."

Iliff becomes the latest Cougar to earn NSIC weekly honors and continues to be a key catalyst in the middle of the lineup as Sioux Falls pushes through conference play.

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