Grand Rapids, Mich. – Three sports competed. Three Saints were honored. Aquinas Athletics couldn't have asked for a much better start to the 2026-27 season.

The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference announced its first weekly awards of the new athletic year Monday, and Aquinas was represented in every sport in which the Saints competed during opening week. Women's volleyball outside hitter Cece Pelak, women's soccer goalkeeper Claire Fogarty and men's soccer goalkeeper Dario Cela each earned WHAC Player of the Week recognition following standout performances to begin their respective seasons.

Three different sports. Three different performances. One impressive opening statement from the Maroon and White.

Cece Pelak | Women's Volleyball

Senior outside hitter Cece Pelak earned her recognition through sustained production across a demanding opening week for No. 17 Aquinas.

The Mattawan, Michigan, native totaled 62 kills over 15 sets, averaging 4.13 kills per set while hitting .275 across five matches. Pelak also contributed 43 digs, six service aces and four block assists, impacting the game from multiple spots on the floor.

Pelak bookended her week with two of her best performances. She opened with 14 kills on 25 attempts while hitting .440 against St. Francis and closed the five-match stretch with a week-high 16 kills while hitting .419 against Loyola. In between, she added a 12-kill, 12-dig double-double against Grace.

"Cece had a really strong week, and we're excited to see her recognized for it," Aquinas Women's Volleyball Head Coach Ryan Campbell said. "What stands out about Cece is the consistency she brings and her willingness to do whatever the team needs. She impacted matches offensively, defensively and from the service line, but this group understands that none of those individual numbers happen without teammates doing their jobs around you. We're proud of Cece, and we're equally excited about how our entire team continues to compete and grow together."

Across five matches in four days, Pelak recorded at least nine kills in every contest and reached double figures three times, giving Aquinas its first of three opening-week honorees.

Claire Fogarty | Women's Soccer

The final score didn't tell the story of Claire Fogarty's performance in her Aquinas debut.

The sophomore goalkeeper from Tullahoma, Tennessee, was tested throughout Saturday's season opener against Spring Arbor and responded with 13 saves on 14 shots on goal while playing all 90 minutes in the Saints' narrow 1-0 setback. Spring Arbor generated 26 total shots, including 16 in the second half, but Fogarty repeatedly kept Aquinas within striking distance.

After Spring Arbor scored at the 9:41 mark, Fogarty shut the door. She kept the Cougars off the scoreboard for the remaining 80 minutes and 19 seconds, making five saves in the first half and eight more after the break.

Fogarty joined Aquinas this season after helping the University of the Cumberlands reach the 2025 NAIA National Championship match, and she wasted little time making an impression in the Maroon and White.

"Claire was outstanding for us and absolutely deserves this recognition," Aquinas Women's Soccer Head Coach Mario Zuniga-Gil said. "She made some tremendous saves and showed a lot of composure in a difficult match, especially with the amount of pressure she faced. We are very happy for Claire, but individual recognition like this also reflects the work of the group around her. We are continuing to learn about each other and grow as a team, and Claire's performance gave us an opportunity to compete for 90 minutes."

Fogarty's 13-save effort earned her the conference's opening weekly recognition and gave Aquinas its second honoree from a second sport.

Dario Cela | Men's Soccer

For Dario Cela, the season began with a clean sheet and a victory.

The junior goalkeeper from Pogradec, Albania, played all 90 minutes Saturday as Aquinas opened its season with a 1-0 victory over Indiana Northwest. Cela faced six shots on goal and stopped every one, finishing his first appearance of 2026 with six saves, a 1.000 save percentage and a 0.00 goals-against average.

With the Saints protecting a one-goal advantage, Cela had no room for error. He made all six of his saves in the opening 45 minutes before the Aquinas defense took over after halftime, not allowing Indiana Northwest to attempt a single shot in the second half.

"We're extremely happy for Dario and proud to see him recognized by the WHAC," Aquinas Men's Soccer Head Coach Luke Ruff said. "A shutout is always special for a goalkeeper, and he made the saves we needed him to make in a very tight match. I also think what our defense did in the second half says a lot about the entire group. We didn't allow a single shot to be taken on Dario over the final 45 minutes. Dario would be the first to tell you that a clean sheet belongs to the entire team, and this award is a great individual honor that also speaks to the effort of the guys in front of him."

Cela's performance completed an opening-week sweep across Aquinas' three competing sports while also giving the Saints WHAC honorees between the posts on both the men's and women's sides of the pitch.

Three Sports. Three Saints. One Aquinas.

Pelak delivered consistent production across five matches and 15 sets. Fogarty stood tall under relentless pressure in her Aquinas debut. Cela was perfect when called upon and helped the Saints open their season with a shutout victory.

Three very different performances produced the same result: WHAC Player of the Week recognition.

For Aquinas Athletic Director Damon Bouwkamp, the three honors are worth celebrating individually while also reflecting something larger happening across the department.

"Having three student-athletes from three different sports earn WHAC Player of the Week honors in the first week of competition is a great way to begin the year and speaks to the talent we have across Aquinas Athletics," Bouwkamp said. "We're proud of each of them for earning this recognition, but I also think it reflects the work being done by their teammates, coaches and support staff every day. It's exciting to see our student-athletes representing Aquinas at such a high level right out of the gate, and hopefully this is just the beginning of many great moments for the Saints this year."

Three sports. Three WHAC Players of the Week. One memorable opening week for the Maroon and White.

It's a great day to be a Saint.