ST. LOUIS (USBWA) For the season's first U.S. Basketball Writers Association Ann Meyers Drysdale Women's National Player of the Week and the organization's women's freshman player honor, UConn guard Christyn Williams is national player while Ohio State forward Dorka Juh·sz has been tabbed for the freshman citation after each was involved in helping their teams go unbeaten in games ending the week of Sunday, Dec. 2.
The USBWA weekly honors for Division I women's players will be handed out each Tuesday this season.
As the American Athletic Conference player and Big Ten Conference freshman weekly winners, both were nominated for the awards, which were chosen by Mel Greenberg, the USBWA coordinator for women's basketball, primarily from a pair of lists of Division I conference players and freshmen players of the week.
Williams, a 5-11 freshman guard from Little Rock, Ark., averaged 21.5 points per game, and shot 72 percent from the field against two nationally ranked opponents. In the national showcase womens game of the season to date, she scored 28 points, shooting 11-for-16 from the field, at top-ranked Notre Dame in a battle of undefeated powers leading the then-No. 2 Huskies to an 89-71 upset victory and back to first for the 238th time when this week·s AP Poll was announced Monday. Her total was the third highest ever for UConn in a 1 vs. 2 women·s game.
Juhsz, a 6-4 freshman forward from Pecs, Hungary, averaged 17.5 points per game and 14.5 rebounds in a pair of home wins over North Carolina in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge in which she helped the Buckeyes rally from a 14-point deficit, shooting 7-for -12 from the field, scoring 18 points, and grabbing 16 rebounds with a blocked shot before getting 17 points and 13 rebounds with three steals against state-rival Cincinnati.
Since the 1987-88 season, the USBWA has named a womens National Player of the Year. For the 2012-13 season, the national and weekly player award has been named for Hall of Famer and former UCLA All-American Ann Meyers Drysdale. At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership of the USBWA. The winner of the 2019 Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWA·s annual awards event in Tampa, site of the 2019 NCAA Women·s Final Four.
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 a women's All-America team since the 1996-97 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.
2018-19 USBWA Women's Players of the Week
Week ending Dec. 2: Christyn Williams, UConn (National); Dorka Juh·sz, Ohio State (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 9: Jenna Allen, Michigan State (National); Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 16: Alanna Smith, Stanford (National); Chrislyn Carr, Texas Tech (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 23: Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon (National); Rhyne Howard, Kentucky (Freshman)
· Week ending Dec. 30: Dionna White, Georgetown (National); Nia Clouden, Michigan State (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 6: Phoebe Sterba, Penn (National); Sienna Durr, Columbia (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 13: Tiana Mangakahia, Syracuse (National); Shakira Austin, Maryland (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 20: Shrita Parker, UNCW (National); Christianna Carr, Kansas State (Freshman)
· Week ending Jan. 27: Paris Kea, North Carolina (National); Elissa Cunana, N.C. State (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 3: Bella Alarie, Princeton (National); Ciaja Harbison, Saint Louis (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 10: Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon (National); Ajah Wayne, Old Dominion (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 17: Megan Gustafson, Iowa (National); Madisen Smith, West Virginia (Freshman)
· Week ending Feb. 24: Kay Kay Wright, UCF (National); Jada McMillian, Charlotte (Freshman)
· Week ending March 3: Kristine Anigwe, California (National); Christianna Carr, Kansas State (Freshman)