ST. LOUIS (USBWA) Ty Sabin of Ripon College (Ripon, Wis.) and Katie Sommer of Wartburg College (Waverly, Iowa) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending February 26.
Sabin, a 6-2 senior guard from New Berlin, Wis., helped lead the Red Hawks (20-5) to the Midwest Conference Tournament Championship. In a pair of victories last week, Sabin averaged 40.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals per game. He shot 60.4 percent (29-of-48) from the field, 100 percent (11-of-11) from the foul line and 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from three-point range. In Ripons 80-79 victory over Cornell on Friday, Sabin scored 15 of the Red Hawks· final 17 points including the game-winning trey with one second left. He finished with 50 points (19-of-29 FG, 4-of-4 FT, 8-of-12 3FG), establishing the school·s one-season scoring record, while also adding five rebounds. Then, in the championship game on Saturday, Sabin totaled 31 points (10-of-19 FG, 7-of-7 FT, 4-of-9 3FG), three rebounds, four assists, and two steals as Ripon advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament for the first time in 15 years. Also selected the Midwest Conference Player of the Week and the USBWA National Player of the Week for the third time this season, Sabin now holds Ripon records for career (2,516) and single-season points (755).
Sommer, a 5-5 junior guard from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, helped lead the No. 9 ranked (D3hoops.com) Knights (25-2) to the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) Tournament Championship (25-2). Sommer averaged 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 2.5 steals in Wartburgs two victories while shooting 68.0 percent (17-of-25) from the field, 60.0 percent (6-of-10) from the foul line and 75.0 percent (9-of-12) from three-point range. In an 82-67 win over Buena Vista on Friday, she scored 22 points (9-of-12 FG, 1-of-2 FT, 3-of-4 3FG) while adding seven rebounds, eight assists and four steals. Sommer then scored a career-high 27 points (8-of-13 FG, 8-of-10 FT, 3-of-6 3FG) in the Knights· 81-68 tournament-clinching victory on Saturday. She also totaled six rebounds, eight assists and a steal in the contest. Also selected the IIAC Player of the Week, Sommer currently ranks 14th in the nation with 5.6 assists per game as Wartburg returns to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament for the 11th time in program history.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA has selected men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the third season that the USBWA has recognized national players of the week from Division III. This week's honors are the final selections for the 2016-17 season.
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.
2016-17 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 20: Khory Moore, Virginia Wesleyan College and Camille McPherson, Moravian College
· Week ending Nov. 27: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Mikayla Miller, Gustavus Adolphus College
· Week ending Dec. 4: Sam Amsbaugh, Simpson College and Sara Tarbert, Stevenson University
· Week ending Dec. 11: Jayde Dawson, Amherst College and Zarkia Mattox, Ferrum College
· Week ending Dec. 18: Anthony Mosley Jr., Illinois Institute of Technology and Emily Martin, Elizabethtown College
· Week ending Jan. 1: Tyheim Monroe, Cabrini College and Lisa Murphy, Carnegie Mellon University
· Week ending Jan. 8: Frank Schettino, College of Staten Island and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College
· Week ending Jan. 15: Baba Waples, Penn State Berks and Garis Grant, Agnes Scott College
· Week ending Jan. 22: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Lisa Murphy, Carnegie Mellon University
· Week ending Jan. 29: Marcos Echevarria, Nichols College and Kara Hageman, Case Western Reserve University
· Week ending Feb. 5: Caleb Thomasson, Sul Ross State University and Kaitlin Langer, University of St. Thomas
· Week ending Feb. 12: Brendan Wind, Nazareth College and Savannah Olsen, Newbury College
· Week ending Feb. 19: Keegan Ryan, St. John Fisher College and Jill Valley, Westfield State University
· Week ending Feb. 26: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Katie Sommer, Wartburg College