ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Josh Berard of the University of the Ozarks (Clarksville, Ark.) and Sydney Moss of Thomas More College (Crestview Hills, Ky.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending Feb. 14.
Berard, a 6-3 junior guard from Fort Smith, Ark., averaged 32.3 points on 29-of-48 shooting last week on his way to winning American Southwest Conference Player of the Week honors for the Eagles (12-11, 3-10 ASC). He scored an NCAA all-division season-high 60 points, going 18-of-29 from the floor and 21-of-25 from the line in a 144-114 loss to Concordia (Texas) University last Monday. The 60-point performance set school and conference single-game scoring records while also setting a school record for field goals made (18) along with conference records for field goal attempts (29), free throws attempted (25) and free throws made (21). He also had 22 points in a 79-62 loss to East Texas Baptist University on Thursday then tallied 15 points and eight rebounds in a 79-67 win against Louisiana College last Saturday.
Moss, a 5-10 senior guard from St. Albans, W. Va., helped the No. 1-ranked Saints remain undefeated (22-0) with a pair of Presidents Athletic Conference road wins last week to extend their win streak to 55 games. She averaged 26.0 points on 19-of-38 shooting with 6.5 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game on her way to PAC Player of the Week honors for the defending NCAA Division III National Champions. In an 87-52 win over Geneva (Pa.) last Wednesday, she scored 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting from the field and added five assists. She then scored 25 points and 10 rebounds with eight assists in an 88-57 win against Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) this past Saturday.
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