Keegan Digby, Kristen Luersman named Polar Bear of the Month winners for January

By Wes Mayberry

ADA — Junior track and field athlete Keegan Digby (Bowling Green/Otsego) and junior women's basketball player Kristen Luersman (Fort Jennings) have been selected as the Ohio Northern athletic department's Polar Bear of the Month award winners for January.

After earning All-American honors and breaking the school record in the outdoor shot put as a sophomore, Digby opened the 2023 season with record-setting performances in the indoor shot put.

He broke the previous school record of 15.92 meters, set in 1997, at the season-opening Larry Cole Invitational with a throw of 16.26 meters and extended that mark at last Saturday's Muskingum Invitational with a toss of 16.43 meters. That mark is currently ranked No. 4 nationally in NCAA Division III.

Named the Ohio Athletic Conference Men's Field Athlete of the Week for the week of Jan. 16-22, Digby also won the weight throw at the Larry Cole Invitational with a personal-best and meet-record distance of 16.80 meters, which is tied for fifth all-time at ONU. He placed second in the weight throw at the Muskingum Invitational, posting a distance of 16.57 meters.

Luersman, a forward on the ONU women's basketball team, has been a driving force behind the OAC-leading Polar Bears' 17-2 overall record and No. 13 ranking in both the D3hoops.com and WBCA national Top 25 polls.

The junior enters February averaging 11.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game while shooting 52.9% from the floor. She ranks second in the OAC in rebounding and field goal percentage and 11th in scoring average.

Luersman tallied 101 points, 64 rebounds and seven blocks in helping to lead the Polar Bears to a 7-1 record in January, which included a 53-51 victory over then-No. 7 Baldwin Wallace.

Named the OAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Nov. 21, Luersman has posted double-digit rebounding totals in 10 games and has five double-doubles this season.

2022-23 Polar Bear of the Month Honorees