ST. PAUL, Minn. - Concordia University has announced that Mike Cunningham and Gillian Bjerke, both junior basketball athletes, have been named CU Athletes of the Week.  Cunningham and Bjerke helped lead their respective squads in NSIC play at the Gangelhoff Center last weekend.

Mike Cunningham (G, 6-4, 205, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn. / Trinity HS) put the Golden Bears on his back as they moved to 4-0 in league play with a pair of home wins last weekend. After a one point first half on Friday night against Minnesota, Crookston, Cunningham exploded for 15 second half points and buried the game winning jumper just inside the arc over a long 6-10 defender with 4.8 seconds to play as CU pulled out a gritty 50-48 win. The next night, Cunningham continued his explosiveness with 20 points on 8-9 shooting in only 24 minutes of action as Concordia cruised past MSU Moorhead 81-68. After his one point first half against UMC on Friday, Cunningham finished the weekend with 35 points in 42 minutes over the next three halves. For the weekend, he averaged 18.0 points, had five steals (four against MSUM) and shot 15-25 (.625) from the floor.

In just over 20 minutes of play per game, Gillian Bjerke (C, 6-3, Jr., Detroit Lakes, Minn. / Pelican Rapids HS / Iowa State) averaged a double-double last weekend with 14.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game for Concordia University.  She marked career highs against the Golden Eagles on Friday with 18 points and 12 rebounds.  Her offensive rebounding game played a vital role in the success of the Golden Bears, with 12 of her 22 weekend boards coming on offense.   Bjerke shot 40% from the field and hit 8-of-10 free throws.