ST. LOUIS (USBWA) For the season's sixth U.S. Basketball Writers Association Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week and the organization's women's freshman player honor, Penn guard Phoebe Sterba is national player while Columbia 6-0 guard-forward Sienna Durr has been tabbed for the freshman citation after each was involved in helping their teams go unbeaten in games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 6.
The USBWA weekly honors for Division I women's players will be handed out each Tuesday this season. As the Ivy League co-player and Ivy freshman weekly winners, both were nominated for the awards, which were chosen by Mel Greenberg, the USBWA coordinator for women's basketball, primarily from a pair of lists of Division I conference players and freshmen players of the week.
This is the first time since USBWA added freshman honorees to the weekly womens player award that the Ancient Eight has had dual selectees.
Sterba, a 6-1 junior guard from Cleveland, who shared league honors with Columbias Riley Casey, averaged 16.5 points in two wins, predominantly starring in the league opener at preseason favorite Princeton where she scored a career-high 21 points, including 12 in the decisive fourth quarter, and overall connected on 5-of-7 three-pointers. She also blocked a shot, grabbed two steals and three rebounds, dealt three assists and was 4-for-4 from the line at the finish to seal the win after having previously shot only two free throws all season. Earlier in the week in a win at Stetson, she scored 12 points, all off of four 3-pointers.
Durr, a 6-0 guard-forward from Grinnell, Iowa, averaged 19.5 points and and 8.5 rebounds shooting 17-for-25 for 68 percent and backed up Caseys performance in an upset win at defending Southern Conference champion Mercer with 18 points shooting 8-for-12 and grabbing 11 rebounds. Earlier against Hampton she scored 21 points, shooting 9-for-13. She leads the Ivies averaging 51.3 from the field.
Since the 1987-88 season, the USBWA has named a women's National Player of the Year. For the 2012-13 season, the national and weekly player award has been named for Hall of Famer and former UCLA All-American Ann Meyers Drysdale. At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership of the USBWA. The winner of the 2019 Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWAs annual awards event in Tampa, site of the 2019 NCAA Women·s Final Four.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected a women's All-America team since the 1996-97 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
2018-19 USBWA Women's Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 2: Christyn Williams, UConn (National); Dorka Juh·sz, Ohio State (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 9: Jenna Allen, Michigan State (National); Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 16: Alanna Smith, Stanford (National); Chrislyn Carr, Texas Tech (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 23: Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon (National); Rhyne Howard, Kentucky (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 30: Dionna White, Georgetown (National); Nia Clouden, Michigan State (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 6: Phoebe Sterba, Penn (National); Sienna Durr, Columbia (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 13: Tiana Mangakahia, Syracuse (National); Shakira Austin, Maryland (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 20: Shrita Parker, UNCW (National); Christianna Carr, Kansas State (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 27: Paris Kea, North Carolina (National); Elissa Cunana, N.C. State (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 3: Bella Alarie, Princeton (National); Ciaja Harbison, Saint Louis (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 10: Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon (National); Ajah Wayne, Old Dominion (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 17: Megan Gustafson, Iowa (National); Madisen Smith, West Virginia (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 24: Kay Kay Wright, UCF (National); Jada McMillian, Charlotte (Freshman)
· Week ending March 3: Kristine Anigwe, California (National); Christianna Carr, Kansas State (Freshman)