MIAC MEN'S SOCCER ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

MINNEAPOLIS -- For the second time this season, an Augsburg College men's soccer player has earned Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Athlete of the Week honors, as midfielder Matt Bowman (JR, Maple Grove, Minn.) earned the honor this week, it was announced on Tuesday.

Bowman played a crucial role in Augsburg's two victories during the past week -- a 4-0 nonconference win over Northwestern-Roseville on Monday and a 1-0, two-overtime win over nationally-ranked Macalester on Saturday. Against the Eagles, Bowman assisted on the Auggies' first goal, a tally just 37 seconds into the game, and had four shots in the game, including three shots-on-goal.

Against the Scots, at the time ranked No. 15 nationally, Bowman was called upon to take a penalty kick 2:27 into the second overtime, and his conversion gave the Auggies the victory and extended his point-scoring streak to three straight games. He has a goal or assist in five of Augsburg's nine games this year.

Bowman has had a dramatic career at Augsburg, recovering from a near-fatal incident in 2008 to being a reliable starter the past two years. During a preseason scrimmage in August 2008, Bowman collapsed on the field and nearly died, and he was diagnosed with a form of anomalous coronary artery heart defect -- a very rare condition that usually kills 80 percent of its victims before it is diagnosed. In layman's terms, one of Bowman's arteries was located in the wrong place since his birth. Bowman was forced to have a difficult open-heart surgery at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital on Sept. 12, 2008, to correct the ailment, and missed the entire 2008 season.

But he returned to the Auggie lineup in 2009, starting 14 of 17 games and playing in 975 of the team's 1,573 minutes (62 percent), with a goal and three assists for five points. So far this season, Bowman has appeared in all nine games, starting seven, while playing 401 of the team's 822 minutes (49 percent). He stands third on the team in overall scoring this season, with a goal and team-high-tying four assists for six points.

Augsburg is now 7-2-0 overall and 2-1-0, and is now ranked No. 23 in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III national poll and No. 3 in the NSCAA's North Region poll. The Auggies host St. Olaf on Wednesday (9/29) at 7:30 p.m. at Edor Nelson Field.