MINNEAPOLIS -- Augsburg University guard JJ Semanko (FY, New Hope,Minn./Hopkins HS) was named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Athlete of the Week on Defense, it was announced on Monday.

Semanko continued his impressive start to his collegiate career, averaging 22.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per-game in a pair of contests for the Auggies this week. He connected on 15-of-25 (60.0 percent) from the field, going 4-for-8 from three-point range, hit 11-of-12 from the free-throw line and had four assists and four steals on the week. On Wednesday, he scored 18 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field and grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds in the Auggies' 77-63 win over Hamline. On Saturday, he scored 18 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the field, pulled down seven rebounds and had three assists in the Auggies' 101-88 loss to No. 12-ranked Gustavus.

Semanko is averaging 18.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per-game for the Auggies, ranking fifth among MIAC players in scoring and tied for fourth in rebounding. He has scored in double figures in 16 of his first 18 collegiate games (seven in a row) and has six point-rebound double-doubles.

Now 13-5 overall and 6-3 in MIAC play, Augsburg travels to face the College of St. Scholastica on Wednesday (1/28) at 7 p.m., and Carleton College on Saturday (1/31) at 3 p.m.