Tuesday, January 31, 2012

MACON, Ga. - Belmont's Haley Nelson and FGCU's Whitney Knight take the Atlantic Sun Women's Basketball Player of the Week honors, announced by the league office on Tuesday. Nelson recorded her 10th and 11th double-doubles of the season; while Knight helped the Eagles clinch a berth in the A-Sun Championship with 13 points and seven rebounds over Kennesaw State.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:
Haley Nelson, Belmont (Sr. – Center –Scottsboro, Ala. – Early Childhood Education/Physical Education)

• Fourth Career Player of the Week award; third of the season
• Added two more double-doubles, putting her at fourth in the nation for double-doubles on the season
• Tied her career-high of 22 points and a game-high 14 rebounds in a win over Jacksonville
• Pulled in a game-high 11 rebounds and scored 14 points against North Florida
• Averaged 18 PPG, 12.5 RBG and had eight assists and seven blocks on the week

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Tee'Ara Copney (Jr., USC Upstate) – Grabbed her first career double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds against ETSU
• Destiny Mitchell (So., ETSU) – Shot at 71.4 percent from the field, picking up 20 points and 14 boards against USC Upstate
• Chelcey Farrar (Jr., Kennesaw State) – Averaged 12.5 PPG and 10 RPG against FGCU and Stetson
• Victoria McGowan (Jr., Stetson) – Led Stetson to two home wins with 16 PPG, 5.5 RPG and four steals over
• Sarah Hansen (So., FGCU) – Helped the Eagles clinch a spot in the A-Sun Championship with 14 PPG and 8 RPG

NEWCOMER OF THE WEEK:
Whitney Knight, FGCU (Fr. – Guard – Winston-Salem, N.C. – Bioengineering)

• First Career Newcomer of the Week award
• Helped the Eagles clinch the first spot in the A-Sun Championship with 13 points and seven rebounds against Kennesaw State
• Recorded 12 points in the 92-55 win over Mercer
• Also dished out four rebounds, four blocks and two assists against Mercer
• Averaged 12.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 2.0 APG in just 19.5 MPG

OTHER NOMINEES:
• Tyra Smith (Jr.,USC Upstate) – Posted a career-high 16 points leading USC Upstate to its fourth-straight win
• Taylor Mills (Fr., Kennesaw State) – Averaged 13 PPG and 6.5 APG against FGCU and Stetson
• Katie Brooks (Fr.,USC Upstate) – Led the Bruins to a 2-0 week with 16 PPG, 10 assists and two steals
• Cherisse Burris (Fr., Stetson) – Had a consistent week posting 12 points and six rebounds in each of Stetsons' contests