ST. PAUL, Minn. - Leading their respective teams to a combined 4-0 record last weekend in the Northwoods, senior Craig Heiman (Marshall, Wis.) and junior Maurika Hickman (Minneapolis, Minn.) were named the CU Male and Female Athletes of the Week. Heiman earns the nod for the fifth time while Hickman picks up her second. Each player averaged 20-plus points per game at Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth.
Craig Heiman (F, 6-5, 230, Sr., Marshall, Wis.), one of the most prolific scorers in Northern Sun history took his scoring prowess to the road last weekend, leading Concordia to a pair of wins at Bemidji State and Minnesota Duluth to extend Concordia’s winning streak to a season long four games as he averaged 24.5 points on 69.0% (20-29) shooting including his fourth career 30-point performance. With his fourth 30-point game in his career, he becomes the first player in school history to notch four 30-point games. He has now scored 1,110 career points in 71 career league games, ranking fifth in NSIC history, just seven points behind Northern State’s Kevin Ratzsch (2005-09) for fourth place. His 30 point game against Bemidji State came on 12-16 shooting from the floor, needing only one three-pointer in the process. In fact, he didn’t miss inside the arc, hitting all 11 two’s he took. He also buried all five free throw tries and had three assists. He followed that up by leading CU with 19 points at UMD in a one point win. He had two assists in each game and averaged 5.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists.
Maurika Hickman (G, 5-6, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn. / North HS / UW-Milwaukee) helped the Golden Bear squad extend their lead in the Northern Sun standings with a big offensive weekend against the Beavers and Bulldogs. Hickman averaged 20.0 points per game while shooting 66.7% from the field for Concordia, finishing with 22 points against BSU and 18 against UMD. Her play was consistent throughout the team’s two wins, with identical 6-of-9 field goal shooting and 1-of-2 three-pointers. Her excellence at the free throw line helped seal the win against Bemidji State, hitting 9-of-9 shots from the stripe. On the weekend, Hickman was 14-of-15 in free throws for 93.3%. She entered the games ranked 3rd in the nation for free throw precision, using this weekend’s shots to elevate her season average to 91.1%. Hickman is 5th in the NSIC with a season 52.4% field goal average.
