Tuesday, January 18, 2011

MACON, Ga. – UNF’s Brittany Kirkland became the first Ospreys’ player to pass the 1,000-point mark since UNF joined the conference in 2005 and sixth in program history after she registered 20 points in a win against USC Upstate. Stetson’s Victoria McGowan earned her first Atlantic Sun Conference Newcomer of the Week award after averaging an impressive line of 13 points, seven rebounds and 6.5 assists per game in two Hatter victories.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Brittany Kirkland, UNF (Guard – Jr. – Monroe, Ga. – Community Health)
• First A-Sun Player of the Week award
• Hit the 1,000-point mark of her career against USC Upstate with 20 points
• Sixth player to reach that mark in Ospreys’ history; first since joining the A-Sun in 2005
• Added 25 points in triumph against ETSU in a rematch of last year’s A-Sun Championship Final
• Also dished out nine assists on the week along with shooting a perfect 12-for-12 from free throws

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Taneskei Richardson (Forward, Jacksonville) – Led the Dolphins in scoring on the week with 30 points and 23 rebounds
• Chelsea McMillan (Center, USC Upstate) – Passed the 1,000 career point mark against Jacksonville; scored a career high 34 points against UNF
• Tierra Brown (Guard, Stetson) – Paced the Hatters to two home victories; scoring 41 points in two conference games
• Tara Davis (Guard, ETSU) – Scored a career-high 28 at JU; set ETSU record for made free throws
• Haley Nelson (Post, Belmont) – Averaged 15 points and eight rebounds on the week
• Alex Phillips (Forward, Mercer) – Registered first-career double-double (16 pts; 11 rbs) at FGCU
• Eglah Griffin (Guard, FGCU) – Knocked down seven threes against Mercer; one away from school record

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Victoria McGowan, Stetson (Guard – So. – Inkster, Mich. – Sport Management)
• First A-Sun Newcomer of the Week award
• Averaged 13.0 PPG, 7.0 RPG and 6.5 APG wins against Mercer and Kennesaw State
• Recorded 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists in win against the Owls
• Tallied seven assists vs. the Bears including nine points and five boards
• Two home victories pushed the Hatters to 4-4 in the league; tied for fifth

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Crystal Bell (Guard, Jacksonville) – Scored in double figures off the bench in both Dolphins’ conference games
• Kyana Jacobs (Guard, USC Upstate) – Posted career-highs in points (12) and assists (10) against Jacksonville
• Molly Ernst (Guard, Belmont) – Knocked down six three-pointers on the week in two games
• Jade Givens (Guard, UNF) – Hit a season-best 10 points in the Ospreys victory against USC Upstate
• Briana Williams (Guard, Mercer) – Recorded her 12th and 13th double-digit scoring games of the season with 16 against FGCU and 13 at Stetson

PREVIOUS WINNERS:
Jan. 11: Shannon Murphy (FGCU) Destiny Mitchell (ETSU)
Jan. 4: Tara Davis (ETSU) Destiny Mitchell (ETSU)
Dec. 28: Courtney Chihil (FGCU) and Sasha Sims (Stetson)
Dec. 21: Natasha Graboski (Stetson) and Sarah Whitfield (FGCU)
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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