INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) Brandon Myer of the University of Minnesota Duluth (Duluth, Minn.) and Shannon Ryan of Saint Anselm College (Manchester, N.H.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending February 23.
Myer, a senior forward, became UMD's all-time leading scorer in the Bulldogs' regular-season finale last week, and he claimed his first Division II National Player of the Week honor of the season after averaging 42.0 points and 15.0 rebounds in a split of Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference games last week. Myer has scored 40-plus points with double-digit rebounds in three consecutive games.
Myer notched back-to-back games last week with at least 40 points and double-digit rebounds, leading UMD to a 90-84 overtime win at Minnesota-Crookston with 44 points and 13 rebounds, and he scored 40 points with 17 rebounds in the Bulldogs' 83-76 defeat at Bemidji State. His career scoring total now stands at 1,967 points heading into the NSIC Tournament, which starts on Wednesday, Feb. 26.
For the week, Myer shot 65 percent (30-for-46) from the field, including 47 percent (8-for-17) on three-pointers, and he sank 16-of-18 free throws (89 percent).
Myer ranks eighth in Division II this year in total points (657), 11th in rebounds (269), and 14th in double-doubles (13). Over the last 7 games, Myer is averaging 33.1 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Myer is the first player from the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference to earn USBWA Men's Division II National Player of the Week honors this season.
Ryan, a senior forward, was named the Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Week for the seventh time after averaging 24.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, while also becoming Saint Anselm's all-time career scoring leader.
The Plattsburgh, N.Y., native scored double-digit points in each of the Hawks wins, recording 21 points on 10-of-14 shooting in a 63-59 win at Franklin Pierce, while also pulling down 11 rebounds and adding a pair of blocked shots.
Ryan then totaled 28 points on 12-of-18 field goals in an 86-52 win at Saint Michael's en route to becoming the program's all-time leading scorer with 1,668 points. She added 16 rebounds in that game.
Ryan shot a combined 22-of-32 (69 percent) from the field in the two victories as Saint Anslem improved to 18-6 overall.
She ranks seventh in NCAA Division II with 22.6 points per game and is third with 14.7 rebounds per game.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This is the sixth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division II.
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 an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
2019-20 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 10: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Brianna Purcell, Saint Michael's College
· Week ending Nov. 17: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Kayla Marosites, Carson-Newman University
· Week ending Nov. 24: Pat Dembley, UT Permian Basin and Kwanza Murray, Lincoln University
· Week ending Dec. 1: Hasan Varence, Ohio Dominican University and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Dec. 8: Peyton Wejnert, Pace University and Taisha DeShazo, Catawba College
· Week ending Dec. 15: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and Jamiyah Johnson, Davis & Elkins College
· Week ending Dec. 29: Kevin Buckingham, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Peyton Steinman, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Jan. 5: Jordan Floyd, King University and Mar'Shalia Lollie, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
· Week ending Jan. 12: Sekou Sylla, The College of Saint Rose and Sylvia Hudson, Urbana University
· Week ending Jan. 19: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and McKayla Roberts, Le Moyne College
· Week ending Jan. 26: Eamonn Joyce, Southern New Hampshire University and Tyra James, Urbana University
· Week ending Feb. 2: Winston Hill, Francis Marion University and Alexy Mollenhauer, Anderson University
· Week ending Feb. 9: Jordan Floyd, King University and Lilly Ritz, Wheeling University
· Week ending Feb. 16: Brian Halums, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University
· Week ending Feb. 23: Brandon Myer, University of Minnesota Duluth and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending March 1: Robbie Heath, West Chester University and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University