Tuesday, December 21, 2010

MACON, Ga. – In a 15-point victory against FIU, FGCU’s Sarah Whitfield knocked down four three-pointers to guide the Eagles to their 27th straight victory at Alico Arena, the nation’s third longest streak, and kept FGCU as one of ten remaining undefeated teams in all of women’s college basketball. Stetson’s Natasha Graboski picked up her first Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week award after setting career-highs in points (26) and rebounds (15) en route to averaging a double-double on the week for the Hatters.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Natasha Graboski, Stetson (Center – Sr. – Upper Sandusky, Ohio – Rehabilitative Studies)
• First A-Sun Player of the Week award
• Averaged 17 points and 13.5 rebounds in two contests on the week for the Hatters
• Totaled a career-high 26 points against Youngstown State, while adding 12 rebounds
• Secured a career-best 15 rebounds against Georgia Southern
• Shot 52.9 from the field and made 15-of-18 (.833) free throws on the week

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Kendra Grant (Guard, Mercer) – Registered a career-high 24 points against Charleston Southern
• Kate Cloxton (Guard, Campbell) – Added 4.7 assists per game to her 15 points per outing on the week
• Brittany Kirkland (Guard, UNF) – Put up a career-high 28 points in a win against Troy
• Kelsey Jacobson (Guard, FGCU) – Tallied a season-high 20 points on 7-of-8 from the field and 6-of-7 from three-point range against FIU
• Haley Nelson (Post, Belmont) – Averaged a double-double with 13 points and 10.5 rebounds         

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Sarah Whitfield, FGCU (Forward – Jr. – Eugene, Ore. – Communications)
• First A-Sun Newcomer of the Week award
• Tallied a career-high 14 points in a 15-point victory against FIU
• Registered four three-point field goals on five attempts
• Helped to extend FGCU’s 27-game home winning streak, the nation’s third-longest
• Pushed the Eagles to 8-0 on the season, one of 10 remaining undefeated teams in the nation

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Ashley James (Forward, Campbell) – Recorded first career double-double against NC Central (11 pts., 14 rbs.)
• Taylor Smith (Forward, UNF) – Averaged 10.5 points and five rebounds on the week
• Victoria McGowan (Guard, Stetson) – Approached a triple double with 14 points, eight rebounds and seven assists against Youngstown State
• Molly Ernst (Guard, Belmont) – Connected on seven trifectas in two games; averaged 12.5 points          

PREVIOUS WINNERS:
Dec. 14: Shaunda Strayhorn (Belmont) and Ashley James (Campbell)
Dec. 7: Briana Williams (Mercer) and Destiny Mitchell (ETSU)
Nov. 30: Shannon Murphy (FGCU) and Sarah Hansen (FGCU)
Nov. 23: Anna Bowers (Lipscomb) and Briana Williams (Mercer)  
Nov. 16: Tara Davis (ETSU) and Molly Ernst (Belmont)

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