ST. PETER, Minn. – Women’s tennis ace Briana Hartmann (Jr., Owatonna, Minn.) and men’s throwing specialist Michael Hensch (Jr., North Branch, Minn.) have been selected as the Gustavus Adolphus College May Female and Male Student-Athletes of the Month, presented by Thrivent Financial and voted on by the Gustavus Sports Information Office.
Michael Hensch
Men’s Track & Field
Hometown: North Branch, Minn.
High School: North Branch
Major: Exercise Physiology
Parents: Dennis and Barb Hensch
Hensch started the month of May at the MSU Twilight meet when he set a personal record in the hammer throw with a toss of 189-0, taking second place. He also won the javelin at 163-01 and placed second in the shot put with a toss of 51-8.5.
Hensch then shined at the MIAC Championships by earning Outstanding Field Athlete for the second consecutive season by placing in the top-three in four different events to earn All-Conference in each event. He won the javelin at 192-01, took second in both the shot (52-5.25) and discus (148-06), and placed third in the hammer throw at 181-02.
On May 18, Hensch took part in a NCAA last chance meet and improved his shot put with an outdoor personal best of 52-11, which qualified him for the NCAA Championships. Hensch was also named USTFCCCA All-Region in the shot put, hammer, and javelin.
The North Branch native qualified for the NCAA meet in both the shot and the hammer where took 12th and 15th, respectively, with throws on 52-1.25 and 178-2.25.
Briana Hartmann
Women’s Tennis
Hometown: Owatonna, Minn.
High School: Owatonna
Major: Management
Parents: Jerry and JoAnne Hartmann
As the Gusties’ top singles player and on the No. 1 doubles team, Hartmann played a key role in the team claiming its 29th MIAC regular season championship and third-straight league playoff title. Hartman won both of her singles matches in the MIAC playoffs in straight sets as well as winning both doubles matches with partner Ally Baker.
In the opening round of the NCAA Championships, Hartmann posted an impressive 6-0, 6-0 win at singles against St. Scholastica and won her doubles match in shutout fashion at 8-0. The team season came to an end in the second round against host UW-Whitewater, but Hartmann continued her season as an individual at the NCAA Singles Championships. The Owatonna native became the first Gustavus women’s tennis player to compete in the NCAA individual championships since Sam Frank in 2011. Hartmann won her first match in a three-set comeback 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 over Ella Riddle of Linfield, but lost in the second round to defending national champion Eudice Chong of Wesleyan. Hartmann solidified her All-America status from the fall ITA tournament by finishing in the top-16 at the NCAA singles tournament.