Two-time PSAC Player of the Year Lauren Beckley is this year's first PSAC East Athlete of the Week after averaging 21.5 points, including one 30-point performance, to help the Lady Raiders start the season 2-2. Clarion's Bethany Koch is the first PSAC West Athlete of the Week of the season after helping the Golden Eagles to a 2-0 start with two wins in the Clarion Classic, which included a 25-point, 15-rebound performance in one game. Bloomsburg's Dana Wieller, who is one of 11 freshmen on the Huskies' roster, is the PSAC East Freshman of the Week after helping her team to a season-opening win, while Mercyhurst's Dana Banda is this week's PSAC West Freshman of the Week.
PSAC Players of the Week - Nov. 17
PSAC East Player of the Week
Lauren Beckley, Shippensburg
F, Sr., Fairfield, Pa./Fairfield
Beckley, a two-time PSAC Player of the Year in her career, opened her senior season with three 20-point performances, including one 30-point performance, in helping Shippensburg to a 2-2 record in their first four games. Beckley averaged 21.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and shot 93.3 percent from the free throw line (14-of-15) over the four games. She opened the year with 20 points and seven rebounds in a loss to Stonehill at the Disney D-II Tipoff Classic, then came back the next day with 16 points and nine boards in a win over Southern New Hampshire. She followed that up with a 20-point, four-rebound performance in a loss to Northeastern State to wrap up the team’s stay in Orlando. Then, in the team’s home opener on Sunday against Shepherd, she exploded for 30 points on 13-of-23 shooting and also pulled down nine rebounds in a 71-62 win over the Rams.
PSAC East Freshman of the Week
Dana Wieller, Bloomsburg
G, Fr., Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty
Wieller, who is one of 11 freshmen on a very young Bloomsburg roster, led the Huskies in scoring with 18 points in a season-opening 67-45 win over Chestnut Hill on Monday night. In her first collegiate game, Wieller shot 50 percent from both the floor (7-of-14) and three-point range (4-for-8) and also had a rebound and an assist as a lineup featuring 12 newcomers, including the 11 freshman, won its first game of the year.
PSAC West Player of the Week
Bethany Koch, Clarion
G, Sr., Sligo, Pa./Union
Koch helped lead Clarion to two wins at the Clarion Classic on Sunday and Monday by nearly averaging a double-double with 22 points and 9.5 rebounds as well as 2.0 steals in wins over Alderson-Broaddus and Bowie State. The senior guard shot 50 percent from the field (20-of-40) over the two games. In a 71-63 win over A-B on Sunday, Koch scored 19 points and grabbed four rebounds and scored eight of Clarion’s 14 points during a key 14-3 run late in the game after A-B had cut the Golden Eagle lead to one. Then, on Monday in a 73-50 win over Bowie State, Koch came back to score 25 points while hauling down 15 rebounds, including seven offensive while also chipping in with two steals and a block.
PSAC West Freshman of the Week
Dana Banda, Mercyhurst
G, Fr., Solon, Ohio/Solon
In her collegiate debut, Banda played 32 minutes while starting at point guard for the Lakers and scored seven points on 2-of-5 shooting, pulled down two rebounds and dished out three assists in a 10-point loss for Mercyhurst to West Virginia Wesleyan. Banda also recorded a steal and was a perfect 2-for-2 at the free throw line in the game.
Note: The first weekly team-by-team notes of the season will appear next week.