Monday, January 23, 2006

Macon, Ga. -- North Florida's Jackie Beik (Longwood, Fla./Political Science) helped the Ospreys to their first win streak of the season with back-to-back consistent performances. She was named Atlantic Sun Player of the Week today by the conference office.

In the team's first Division I season, the Ospreys have reached the .500 mark with wins over Mercer and Stetson, posting a 4-4 league record. Beik averaged 13.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in the two games. Against Stetson, she posted 13 points, 8 rebounds, and three steals in the 61-55 win. Two nights later, Beik went for 14 points, 7 rebounds and three assists as UNF ran away in the second half, taking the 66-61 victory.

UNF is back on the road next week, when it travels to Nashville to take on Lipscomb Thursday night at 8 p.m. EST, followed by a matchup at Belmont next Saturday.

The Atlantic Sun Conference announces the Player of the Week every Monday during the 2005 women's basketball campaign.

The 11-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Florida Atlantic, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson.

Other Top Performers

Alysha Clark, BEL (Fr. - F - Mt. Juliet, Tenn. - Psychology) -- Clark picked up her ninth double-double of the season at Florida Atlantic with 23 points and 10 rebounds. For the week, she averaged 17.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per outing.

Adrienne Rieley, CAM (So. - C - Hope Mills, N.C. - Criminal Justice) -- Rieley averaged 16.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.0 assists in a pair of Campbell road games. The junior center shot an astonishing 70.0 percent from the floor and 80.0 percent from the free throw line on the week.

B.J. Banjo, ETSU (Sr. - G - Baltimore, Md. - Public Heath) -- Banjo led ETSU in scoring in the 2-1 week, netting a team-high 15 against Kennesaw State, and game highs against Campbell (21), and Gardner-Webb (20). The senior averaged 18.7 points for the week and tallied seven steals, 12 assists, and 12 rebounds in three games.

Brittany Harmon, GWU (Jr. - F - Virginia Beach, Va. - Biology) -- Harmon averaged a double-double for the week, helping Gardner-Webb score two key road victories over Kennesaw State and East Tennessee State. Harmon averaged 10.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game while playing shut down defense in the post.

Ashley Williams, JU (So. - F - Jacksonville, Fla. - Marketing) -- Williams averaged 22.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, 2.5 steals while also shooting 54.8 from the field (17-31). It was her fifth 20-point performance of the season.

Sarah Russell, MER (Jr. - F- St. Simon's Island, Ga. - Communcations) -- Russell posted her second and third career double-doubles. She also set career-high with 13 rebounds against Jacksonville.

Nefertiti Walker, STET (Sr. - G - Augusta, Ga. - Business) -- Walker guided the Hatters in two Atlantic Sun Conference games last week. The senior averaged 22.5 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.