ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Ty Sabin of Ripon College (Ripon, Wis.) and Holly Denfeld of the Milwaukee School of Engineering (Milwaukee, Wis.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending February 7.
Sabin, a 6-2 junior guard from New Berlin, Wis., led Ripon (13-7, 11-4) of the Midwest Conference to wins in both their games last week. He averaged 36 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 50 percent (26-of-52) from the field, 59 percent (13-of-22) from three-point range and 70 percent (7-of-10) from the free throw line. On Wednesday, Sabin totaled 21 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal in the Red Hawks' 75-65 win over Carroll (15-4, 11-3). He then posted single-game school records of 51 points and 11 three-pointers, including the game-winning trey at the buzzer, in Saturday's 78-77 overtime victory at Cornell (7-12, 5-10). Sabin also collected three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 44 minutes. The 11 three-pointers are tied for the most in a game in Division III this season, while the 51 points is second-highest.
Denfeld, a 6-0 junior forward from Edgar, Wis., led MSOE (20-7, 15-5) of the Northern Athletic Collegiate Conference to a pair of comeback wins last week. She averaged 33.0 points and 13.5 rebounds per game, while shooting 67.5 percent from the field. On Tuesday, Denfeld scored a school-record 40 points and added 17 rebounds in a 78-72 overtime victory at Edgewood (12-14, 11-9 NACC). She shot 14-of-19 from the field, including the game-tying bucket with 33 seconds left in regulation, and went a school-record 12-for-12 from the foul line, converting four in the final 38 seconds of overtime. Denfeld also had three assists, two steals and a block in 41 minutes of action. On Saturday, she finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds in a 58-53 win over Aurora (8-18, 8-12 NACC). Denfeld shot 13-21 from the field in 39 minutes while also picking up two assists, a steal and a block.
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