ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Lucas Johnson of Benedictine University (Lisle, Ill.) and Jillian Gilman of Daniel Webster College (Nashua, N.H.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending January 24.
Johnson, a 6-9 senior forward from Naperville, Ill., posted a pair of double-doubles in helping the No. 4 (D3hoops.com) Eagles post two Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC) road wins and remain undefeated (18-0, 13-0) this season. He averaged 15.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.0 blocks, and 3.5 assists for the week while shooting 83.3 percent (15-for-18) from the field. Johnson totaled 10 points (5-for-7 FG), 12 boards and five assists, while his six blocks added to his one-season team record (now at 50) in a 91-67 win at Dominican (2-13, 1-10) on Wednesday. He then scored 21 points (10-of-11 FG, 1-for-1 3FG) and added 14 rebounds, four blocks and two assists in a 67-52 victory at the Milwaukee School of Engineering (9-8, 6-6) on Saturday.
Gilman, a 6-2 junior forward from Weare, N.H., averaged 25.0 points, 18.0 rebounds and 5.0 blocks per game in a 1-1 week for the Eagles (5-10, 3-5) of the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC). Against conference-leading Wheelock (12-3, 8-1) on Wednesday, she recorded 23 points (11-of-18 FG, 1-of-4 FT) in an 83-78 overtime loss. Gilman added six rebounds, a steal and six blocks in the game. She then broke a nine-year old Daniel Webster record by notching 30 rebounds (second most in NCAA Division III this season) in an 81-67 win at Fisher (5-9) on Saturday. Gilman also scored a game-high 27 points (12-of-20 FG, 3-of-3 FT) while adding an assist and four blocks. Her 27-point/30-rebound performance marked the single biggest double-double combination (57) in program history.
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 Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
2015-16 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 6: Jordan Rezendes, UMass Dartmouth and Lisa Murphy, Carnegie Mellon
· Week ending Dec. 13: Connor Green, Amherst and TiChina Mitchell, La Roche
· Week ending Dec. 20: David Linane, John Carroll and Alexix Roman, Scranton
· Week ending Jan. 3: Tom Palleschi, Tufts and Jordan Holmes, Denison
· Week ending Jan. 10: Tyheim Monroe, Cabrini and Michela North, Tufts
· Week ending Jan. 17: Jamie Nikitas, Lawrence University and Katelyn Spahar, John Carroll
· Week ending Jan. 24: Lucas Johnson, Benedictine and Jillian Gilman, Daniel Webster
· Week ending Jan. 31: Jordan Rezendes, UMass Dartmouth and Kelsey Tietje, Defiance
· Week ending Feb. 7: Ty Sabin, Ripon and Holly Denfeld, Milwaukee School of Engineering
· Week ending Feb. 14: Josh Berard, University of the Ozarks and Sydney Moss, Thomas More
· Week ending Feb. 21: Luke Lattner, DePauw and Lisa Murphy, Carngie Mellon
· Week ending Feb. 28: David Meurer, Denison and Caroline Naumann, Lynchburg