The Bachelor’s picks for the most high-impact athletes last month 

Cross Country: Brayden Curnutt ’25 

Brayden Curnutt ’27 runs at the 2024 Charlie Finch ’51 Alumni Run across Wabash’s campus.
| Photo by Elijah Greene ’25

After having repeated as North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Cross Country Athlete of the Week, Curnutt is the runner-to-watch for the rest of the cross country calendar. From the beginning of the season  it has been clear that something is different about Curnutt this year.

In two appearances he has been sensational, finishing sixth Franklin College Grizzly Invitational. He recorded a 25:33.2 finish on the course that will host the Regional Championships in early November. He notably finished ahead of Walter Moak from Oberlin, who placed 7th, two spots ahead of Curnutt in the 2023 NCAC Championships.

The senior followed that up with a second-place finish at the Gil Dodds Invitational with a time of 25:24.50 in the 8k race. 

Curnutt will have a chance to prove himself again at the upcoming Pre-National meet, where he will face not only the NCAC’s best, but also top runners from the region.

Football: Gavin Rupert ’26

Gavin Rupert ’26 celebrates a crucial tackle in the Little Giants’ Homecoming game against Ohio Wesleyan University on September 14, 2024 at Little Giant Stadium. | Photo by Elijah Greene ’25

It’s never a good day to look up and see a 6’1, 228-pound middle linebacker just a few feet away. But that’s become a frequent experience for those who play against the Little Giants. 

Rupert has been harassing the ball carrier from the first snap of the 2024 season. It took him only 3 minutes and 40 seconds to record his first tackle – 1:40 of that was due to Wabash possessing the ball.

Third in the conference for tackles at 32 (17 solo-15 assisted), The junior has personally taken back 30 yards from enemy offenses. His two sacks have put opposing QBs in the grass a total of 27 yards back. Tack-on two interceptions and Rupert is the conference’s worst nightmare. 

With a well-deserved NCAC Football defensive Athlete of the Week on his resume, Rupert is in contention for the most impactful defender in the conference. As long as Rupert is in the game, offenses will need to stay on their toes or else they will find themselves on their tails.

Golf: Sean Bledsoe ’26

Sean Bledsoe ’26 shoots for the green at the Crawfordsville Country Club in the team’s scrimmage against Rose-Hulman on August 29, 2024. | Photo by Elijah Greene ’25

Entering the season, the golf team was looking for someone who would step up and fill the top slot on the lineup, left open by the spectacular class of 2024. So far, it has been Bledsoe to answer the call. 

Bledsoe shot three-under-par at the 2024 Transylvania Fall Golf Invitational to lead his team to an 11th-place finish. His performance garnered him all-tournament honors and NCAC Athlete of the Week.

He followed that performance up by once again leading the Little Giants in their next meet at Benedictine University. Going two-under on the first day and one-under on the second the Junior tied for 48th place in a field of 244 competitors. 

His most recent outing at the DePauw University Fall Invitational, Bledsoe outperformed his partners both days. 

With one more chance to play during the fall calendar, Bledsoe is in a strong position to finish a dominant fall stretch in style.

Soccer: Alfredo Campos ’27

Alfredo Campos ’27 brings the ball up the field in the Little Giants’ game against Hanover College on Wednesday, September 18, 2024. | Photo by Elijah Greene ’25

Six goals in nine games – the stats speak for themselves. Campos has taken his sophomore year by storm, leading his team in goals and total points (13). Campos stands at third in the NCAC for goals so far this season, despite being outside the top-20 for most shots. One third of his shots have snuck between the sticks. Add on two game winners and the sophomore midfielder is off to one of the hottest starts in recent memory.

At 5’7” Campos doesn’t usually bully his way into the box, but instead lines up shots from long range, which is one of the most dangerous tools he has. More than a few goalkeepers have watched a Campos shot fly by, because they didn’t think he had the confidence to send one from that far out. 

Tennis: Rafael Rin ’27

Rafael Rin ’27 returns a serve at practice.
| Photo by Will Duncan ’27

Rin started the season strong with a third-place finish in the 3-singles spot at the Warhawk Invitational, a masterful performance in one the most stacked tournaments the Little Giants have attended in years. He then proceeded to follow that up with a 2-doubles, third-place finish alongside partner Tharakesh Ashokar ’26 [who deserves an honorable mention for his performance] at the same tourney.

The Brazilian sophomore is one of the most exciting young recruits in Wabash’s rapidly developing tennis program. He proved as much at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Central Region tournament. Facing some of the best competition in the country Rin pulled out first-round wins in both singles and doubles. 

He nearly pushed through in singles, only falling two points short in an 11-13 third-set tiebreaker. And in doubles he and Murillo Giarnarie ’28 went down 8-5 to the eventual doubles champions. 

As he climbs the ranks of Wabash tennis, Rin continues to impress.