2021 Players of the Week

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Player of the Week, January 4: Justin Fields

Fields completed 22 of 28 passes for 385 yards and six touchdowns as the Buckeyes pulled off the upset against Clemson 49-28 in the College Football Playoff Semifinal Friday.
 
The six passing touchdowns set a Sugar Bowl record and Fields had to play through excruciating pain after getting hit in the right side of his body during the second quarter.
 
With the victory, the Buckeyes advance to their first national championship game since 2014.
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Player of the Week, January 11: Baker Mayfield

Mayfield completed 21 of 34 passes for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns as the Browns upset the Steelers 48-37 in their AFC Wild Card game Sunday night.
 
Making their first playoff appearance since 2002, the Browns jumped out to an early 28-0 lead and never looked back as they relied on Mayfield to guide the team to victory.
 
With this victory, Cleveland will make their first divisional round appearance since 1994 when they face the Kansas City Chiefs.
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Player of the Week, January 18: Sharife Cooper

This week’s SportsCall Player of the Week is Auburn basketball guard Sharife Cooper! 

Cooper had a great first week of action as he led Auburn to conference wins over Georgia and Kentucky. 

The freshman guard has averaged 21.7 points per game to go along with 9.7 assists through his first three games. 
 
With Cooper as their floor general, the Tigers have a newfound sense of energy as they look to improve their standing in the SEC.
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Player of the Week, January 25: Patrick Mahomes

This week’s SportsCall Player of the Week is Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes! 

Mahomes completed 29 of 38 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns as the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills 38-24 in the AFC Championship game Sunday night. 
 
Relying on his big play targets to step up, Mahomes was able to have playmakers such as Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce help guide the Chiefs to victory. 
 
The Chiefs now make their second straight Super Bowl appearance as they now face off against Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to determine which team hoists the Lombardi Trophy.
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Player of the Week, February 1: KJ Britt

This week’s SportsCall Player of the Week is former Auburn linebacker KJ Britt! 

Voted as the top linebacker last week by his teammates from the American team, Britt recorded five tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup during Saturday’s Senior Bowl game in Mobile. 
 
Being Auburn’s lone representative at the game, Britt was able to display his physicality, especially in the run game and behind the line of scrimmage. 
 
With this performance, he will look to improve his draft stock even more when Auburn hosts their pro day which is scheduled for March 18.
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Player of the Week, February 8: Tom Brady

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback completed 21 of 29 passes for 201 yards and three touchdowns as the Bucs dominated the Chiefs 31-9 in Super Bowl 55 Sunday night in Tampa. 
 
This is Brady’s seventh Super Bowl title in ten appearances, and he also took home another Super Bowl MVP, the fifth in his career. 
 
The Bucs now have their second Super Bowl championship in franchise history, and Brady continues to prove father time wrong with his performance at age 43.
maddie-penta

Player of the Week, February 15: Maddie Penta

The Auburn softball pitcher made her first career collegiate start Saturday and dominated by throwing a no-hitter against Southeastern Missouri State. 

She then followed up that performance by pitching a complete game Sunday as she improved to 2-0 on the season. 

Through her first two starts, the freshman has allowed just one unearned run and has struck out 13 batters. 

The Tigers swept the weekend series vs. the Redhawks, and Penta’s performance has led her to being named SEC Softball Co-Freshman of the Week.

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Player of the Week, February 22: Rankin Woley 

Woley hit a home run and had four RBI in Auburn baseball’s opening day game against Presbyterian Friday at Plainsman Park. 

The home run went over the left field wall and was a no-doubter as the Tigers won 14-3.
 
Overall, Auburn swept the weekend series against the Blue Hose and now they set their sights on hosting Alabama A&M.
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Player of the Week, March 1: Maddie Penta

The Auburn softball right handed pitcher threw her second no-hitter in her young career as the Tigers defeated IUPUI 5-0 during Game 1 of a Saturday doubleheader at Jane B. Moore Field. 

Penta struck out 16 consecutive batters to start the game and finished with 17 strikeouts, the second most in a single game in program history. 

The freshman improved to 5-0 on the season with a 0.85 ERA and 49 strikeouts as she continues to prove why she was a highly coveted prospect out of high school.

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Player of the Week, March 8: Stephen Curry

Curry had an All-Star night to remember, as he started out by winning the three-point contest, earning him his second three-point contest trophy. 

 
He became the seventh player in NBA history to win multiple three-point contest and first to do so in nonconsecutive contests. 
 
The Golden State Warriors guard then displayed his three-point skills during the All-Star game, as he made eight threes and finished with 28 points as Team LeBron defeated Team Durant 170-150.
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Player of the Week, March 15: Tyler Miller

The junior had six hits over the weekend, including a home run, as the Tigers won the series against Little Rock at Plainsman Park. 
 
He also played stellar defense and didn’t commit an error all weekend. 
 
Miller has been a hitting machine for Auburn this season, as he has a .436 batting average to go along with 4 home runs and 22 runs batted in.
kevin-obanor

Player of the Week, March 22: Kevin Obanor

Obanor scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Golden Eagles erased an 11-point second half deficit to pull off the upset against the Florida Gators 81-78 Sunday night. 

The forward has played an integral role in Oral Roberts gaining momentum throughout the tournament, as the Golden Eagles have parlayed timely scoring and clutch free throw shooting into upset wins against Ohio State and Florida. 

Oral Roberts is the second ever 15-seed to reach the Sweet 16, and up next is a matchup with Arkansas to determine who reaches the Elite Eight.

jack-leiter

Player of the Week, March 29: Jack Leiter 

Leiter pitched seven hitless innings against Missouri as the Commodores defeated the Tigers 11-3 Friday night in Columbia. 

This performance has been part of a stretch of stellar pitching from Leiter, as he pitched a no-hitter against South Carolina on March 20. 

Currently, Leiter is 6-0 with a minuscule 0.25 ERA and he has punched out 59 batters. 

The Vandy pitcher has helped increase his value throughout the season, and he is projected to be a top-5 pick in the upcoming MLB Draft.

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Player of the Week, April 5: Jalen Suggs 

Suggs banked in the game-winning shot at the buzzer in overtime to give the Bulldogs the 93-90 victory over the UCLA Bruins in the national semifinal of the Final Four Saturday night in Indianapolis. 

He finished with 16 points, five rebounds, and six assists as he was one of five Gonzaga players in double figures. 

The Bulldogs now enter the national championship still undefeated and they have a shot to win their first ever national title in program history Monday night against Baylor.

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Player of the Week, April 12: Ronald Acuña Jr.

Acuña Jr had an incredible past week, as he hit for a .583 batting average with four home runs and four doubles as the Braves won series against the Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies. 

The young superstar showcased all of his special tools, including lightning fast speed and raw power. 

The Braves started off the season 0-4, but have since won four out of their last five to climb out of the basement of the NL East.

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Player of the Week, April 19: Stephen Curry 

Curry has been on an absolute tear, as he has scored 30 or more points in eleven straight games, the most ever by any player 33 or older. 

His scoring barrage has allowed him to eclipse the 40-point mark five times in the month of April, which is also a record for a player over the age of 33. 

In the four games he played last week, he averaged 43.8 points on 57 percent shooting, including an astounding 54.5 percent from three. 

Curry has the Warriors squarely in the Western conference playoff hunt, and his performance has been a major reason why.

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Player of the Week, April 26: Fernando Tatis Jr.

Tatis Jr. had a monster series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, as he hit .384 with five home runs, 7 RBI, and scored 9 runs to lead the Padres to a series victory over the Dodgers. 

He became the first visiting player with five homers in a three-game span at Dodger Stadium and first shortstop ever to homer in three straight days at Dodger Stadium. 

The Padres are within striking distance to challenge the Dodgers in the NL West, and Tatis Jr.’s dynamic performance is a major reason why.

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Player of the Week, May 3: Ryan Bliss 

Bliss went 5 for 15 at the plate, including a home run, in Auburn’s series victory against Georgia in Athens. 

He also provided steady defense for the Tigers, as he did not commit an error in the series.

The junior from LaGrange, Georgia has been a consistent player for Auburn all season long, as he leads the team in batting average and hits while ranking second in home runs.

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Player of the Week, May 10: Huascar Ynoa

Ynoa had a week to remember, as he went 2-0 with one earned run, three walks, and 10 strikeouts in 13 innings of work. 

He also provided offense at the plate by going 2 for 5, including a grand slam. He became the first Braves pitcher to hit a grand slam since 2017. 

Ynoa has been a pleasant surprise for the Braves this season, and the 22-year old will look to continue his dominant pitching in the months to come.

rankin-woley

Player of the Week, May 17: Rankin Woley 

Woley went 5 for 10, including two home runs, as the Tigers won the series against Texas A&M this weekend at Plainsman Park.

He played a crucial role in the series victory, as his bat and steady defense allowed Auburn to get the tiebreaker advantage over the Aggies and put themselves back into the SEC tournament picture.

The graduate student from Atlanta continues to have a solid season with a .303 batting average to go along with 8 home runs and 22 runs batted in.

phil-mickelson

Player of the Week, May 24: Phil Mickelson

Mickelson won the PGA Championship by two strokes over Brooks Koepka and Louis Oosthuizen this weekend at Kiawah Island, South Carolina. 

Mickelson became the oldest major champion in golf history at the age of 50, and won his sixth career major. 

The lefty snaps his eight-year long drought without winning a major, and also becomes the first PGA Tour golfer to win in four different decades. 

Mickelson will now set his sights on the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, the only major that he has yet to win.

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Player of the Week, June 1: Trae Young

Young has had an impressive start to his postseason career by averaging 27.5 points per game as well as 10 assists against the fourth seeded New York Knicks. 

The Hawks have won three of the first four games against the Knicks, and during the series, the young star became the fourth player in NBA history to average 25 points and 10 assists through their first four playoff games.

Young will look to lead the Hawks to a series victory and his flashy play has allowed the whole team to shine in the national spotlight.

ethan-horvath

Player of the Week, June 7: Ethan Horvath 

Horvath came up with a huge save during extra time of the CONCACAF Nations League final Sunday night against Mexico in Denver. 

Andres Guardado took a penalty shot, and Horvath denied the striker from scoring, allowing the U.S. to win 3-2. 

Horvath was forced into action after starting goalkeeper Zach Steffen injured his knee in the 69th minute, and the Colorado native was able to play in front of his family and friends. 

The United States won the inaugural trophy for CONCACAF Nations League, giving their young team confidence moving forward.

chris-paul

Player of the Week, June 14: Chris Paul 

Paul averaged 25.5 points per game to go along with 10.3 assists as the Suns swept the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Semifinals. 

In game four of the series, he was efficient by scoring 37 points on 14-19 from the floor, and he also dished out seven assists. 

CP3 has been nothing short of a revelation for a young Suns team that had not made the postseason since 2010, and now he has them in the Western Conference Finals, where they will await the winner of the Clippers and Jazz.

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Player of the Week, June 21: Jon Rahm 

Rahm won this past weekend’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines to capture his first career major championship. 

He shot six under par, narrowly beating Louis Oosthuzien by one stroke, and shot an impressive four under par in the final round. 

For Rahm, it’s been a roller coaster of a month, as he had to withdraw from the Memorial due to a positive COVID test, but now the golfer is part of a historical moment as the first player from Spain to win the U.S. Open.

suni-lee

Player of the Week, June 28: Suni Lee

Lee locked up a guaranteed spot on the U.S gymnastics team this past weekend at the U.S. Olympic qualifying event in St. Louis. 

She scored a 30.200 on the uneven bars routine, a career high for her, and she also led the competition on the balance beam, defeating teammate Simone Biles. 

Lee was already a favorite to make the team, but her performance over the weekend allowed her to solidify her spot. 

Following the Olympics, she will be taking her talents to the Plains as a member of Auburn’s gymnastics team.

ozzie-albies

Player of the Week, July 6: Ozzie Albies

Albies went 9-for-24 at the plate with 2 home runs and 10 RBIs as the Braves won series against the New York Mets and Miami Marlins.

He also received news that he will be a reserve on the NL team in this month’s All-Star Game at Coors Field, his second All-Star selection.

Albies has had a quietly good season thus far, batting .263 with 15 home runs and a team-leading 59 RBIs. 

The dynamic second baseman will look to continue his good work as the Braves look to gain ground on the Mets in the NL East.

ashleigh-barty

Player of the Week, July 12: Ashleigh Barty

Barty defeated Karolina Pliskova in three sets to win her first Wimbledon title Saturday in England. 

She reeled off six straight wins at the All England Club without dropping a set to reach the final, and she became the first Australian woman to win the Wimbledon singles title since Evonne Goolagong Cawley won in 1980. 

Barty wasn’t considered the favorite at Wimbledon despite being the #1 player in the world because of a hip injury that sidelined her at last month’s French Open. 

This is Barty’s second career Grand Slam title, and now the world #1 fulfills her childhood dream of winning Wimbledon.

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Player of the Week, July 19: Collin Morikawa

Morikawa won the Open Championship by shooting 15 under par, two strokes better than runner-up Jordan Spieth, at Royal St. George’s Golf Club in England. 

He was competing in his first Open, and he became the third golfer in the past 50 years to win it in his first ever appearance. 

Morikawa has won five PGA Tour events in his short career, including two majors, and he is poised to win more events in the foreseeable future.

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Player of the Week, July 26: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis scored 50 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and blocked five shots in game six as the Bucks closed out the Phoenix Suns to win their first championship since 1971.

He also won Finals MVP honors, adding to his collection that previously included two regular season MVP awards.

He dominated throughout the playoffs by averaging 30.2 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 5.1 assists in 21 games.

After hyperextending his knee in the Eastern Conference Finals, there was some doubt that his season was done, but the Greek Freak was able to come back and deliver one of the best performances in Finals history.

 

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