Walters, Katz Take Home Mercer Student-Athlete Of The Week Honors
5/6/2026 5:30:00 PM | Baseball, Women's Lacrosse, Athletics Department
MACON – Ansley Walters, the Big South Tournament MVP, led the women's lacrosse team to its fifth straight Big South Championship and Chris Katz became the second Mercer baseball player to be named Southern Conference Player of the Week this season to become the final pair of Bears to receive Mercer Student-Athlete of the Week honors for the 2025-26 athletic year.
Walters, a junior midfielder from Canton, Georgia, netted two goals, notched an assist, caused two turnovers, secured one ground ball and finished with eight draw controls through two games in the Big South Championship tournament. The Big South Midfielder of the Year finished the year with 25 goals, six assists and 31 points.
Katz, a senior outfielder from Raleigh, North Carolina, posted a .500 batting average and 1.775 OPS across four starts. The reigning SoCon Player of the Week mashed two home runs, including a game-tying grand slam that set up a walk-off home run against Georgia Southern, and racked up 8 RBI. Katz also ripped three doubles, scored seven runs and drew five walks.
| 2025-26 MERCER STUDENT-ATHLETES OF THE WEEK | |||
| Week Ending | Male Honoree | Female Honoree | Official Release |
| May 4 | Chris Katz, Baseball | Ansley Walters, Lacrosse | May 6 |
| April 27 | Miguel Hugas, Baseball | Rachel Sysum, Softball | April 30 |
| April 20 | Titan Kamaka, Baseball | Caroline Glus, Lacrosse | April 22 |
| April 13 | Will Zylstra, Lacrosse | Emma James, Track and Field | April 15 |
| April 6 | Michael Graziano, Baseball | Jayla Simmons, Track and Field | April 9 |
| March 30 | Jacob Neuman, Lacrosse | Olivia Lenzen, Softball | April 2 |
| March 23 | Braydon Kersey, Baseball | Iris Porter, Track and Field | March 25 |
| March 16 | Brant Baughcum, Baseball | Avery Barton, Softball | March 18 |
| March 9 | Eli Stephens, Baseball | Caroline Glus, Lacrosse | March 11 |
| March 2 | Titan Kamaka, Baseball | Talia Kemp, Basketball | March 5 |
| February 22 | Braydon Kersey, Baseball | Katie Scheck, Golf | February 25 |
| February 18 | Chris Katz, Baseball | Grace McKillop, Softball | February 18 |
| February 11 | Michael Frederick, Lacrosse | Avery Barton, Softball | February 11 |
| February 4 | Zaire Williams, Basketball | Ines Hömberg Fernandez, Tennis | February 4 |
| January 28 | Baraka Okojie, Basketball | Marina de Diego Quinones, Tennis | January 28 |
| October 6 | Braden Atkinson, Football | Marie Bannmeyer, Tennis | October 6 |
| September 28 | CJ Miller, Football | Katie Scheck, Golf | September 29 |
| September 21 | Braden Atkinson, Football | Sammi Bergjans, Volleyball | September 22 |
| September 14 | Andrew Zock, Football | Nikki Harris, Cross Country | September 15 |
| September 7 | Henry Hampshaw, Soccer | Morganne Eikelbarner, Soccer | September 8 |
