COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- South Dakota Mines junior Kolten Mortensen has been named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Men's Basketball Defensive Player of the Week announced by the league office Monday in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"Kolten has been a very good addition to our program and has had some big shoes to fill," said Hardrocker men's basketball head coach Eric Glenn. "He has stepped up from the very beginning and has handled the challenge with great maturity and poise."

Mortensen, a 6-foot-7-inch forward from Santaquin, Utah, earned his second double-double of the season after the Hardrockers earned an overtime victory over Fort Lewis College, 84-79, Sunday afternoon in Durango, Colorado. The junior forward tallied 10 rebounds (three offensive, seven defensive) and collected 13 points in the game, which put the 'Rockers back to .500 with a 3-3 overall record. He also earned three steals and two assists in the winning effort.

"He has already proven to be a player that can go out and get a double-double on any given night.  As he continues to learn our system and gain more experience--he will continue to improve," Glenn added.

Mortensen, a junior transfer for the 'Rockers, is pursuing a degree in Industrial Engineering.