ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Jordan Rezendes of UMass Dartmouth (Dartmouth, Mass.) and Kelsey Tietje of Defiance College (Defiance, Ohio) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending January 31.
Rezendes, a 6-2 senior guard from Onset, Mass., averaged 43.5 points, 5.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds, while shooting 69 percent (27-for-39) from the field, 50 percent (7-for-14) from three-point range and 93 percent (26-for-28) from the foul line for the Corsairs (13-7, 4-5), who went 1-1 in Little East Athletic Conference (LEC) play. On Wednesday, Rezendes totaled 29 points (9-13 FG, 2-5 3FG, 9-10 FT), eight assists and three rebounds in an 83-77 home win over UMass Boston (8-11, 1-8). He then broke his own single-game school scoring record (51) with a career-high 58 points (the most in Division III this season) in an 88-83 loss at Plymouth State (13-7, 4-5) on Saturday. Rezendes shot 18-for-26 from on field to tie the DIII record for most field goals made in a game this season. He also shot 5-of-10 from beyond the arc and made 17-of-18 from the foul line to go along with four rebounds, three assists and one steal.
Tietje, a 6-3 junior center from Deshler, Ohio, averaged 26.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game in a pair of Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference (HCAC) wins for the Yellow Jackets (5-14, 4-8). For the week, she shot 83.3 percent (21-of-26) from the field, 78.5 percent (11-of-14) from the foul line and notched her 11th and 12th double-doubles of the season. In a 78-64 win over Anderson (Ind.) (3-15, 2-9) on Wednesday, Tietje totaled 24 points (10-12 FG, 4-5 FT), 14 rebounds, four blocks, and a steal in only 28 minutes. On Saturday, she scored 29 points (11-14 FG, 7-9 FT) and added 12 rebounds and five blocks, again playing only 28 minutes in a 76-68 home win over Hanover (Ind.) (8-11, 4-8).
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