INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) Winston Hill of Francis Marion University (Florence, S.C.) and Alexy Mollenhauer of Anderson University (Anderson, S.C.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending February 2.
Hill, a sophomore forward claimed his first Division II National Player of the Week honor of the season after posting consecutive 30-point games to lead the Patriots to a split of last weeks Peach Belt Conference matchups. He scored a career-high 31 points with 12 rebounds in an 84-70 road defeat to league-leading UNC Pembroke, and he followed it up with a 30-point, 8-rebound effort in an 83-75 win over Georgia Southwestern.
Hill shot 62 percent (24-for-39) from the field on the week, averaging 30.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 steals in last weeks games. He made 11-of-16 from the field and 9-of-14 from the free throw line in his 31-point performance against UNC Pembroke, adding 2 assists and 3 steals. In the win over Georgia Southwestern, Hill hit 13-of-23 from the field plus 4-of-8 free throws, adding 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal.
Hill, a 6-foot-7, 215-pound forward, is the Peach Belt Conference scoring leader, averaging 20.0 points per game, and he ranks fourth in the league in rebounding with 8.7 rebounds per game.
Hill is the first player from the Peach Belt Conference to earn USBWA Mens Division II National Player of the Week honors this season.
Mollenhauer, a senior guard was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week for the fourth time this season after leading the Trojans to a 2-0 record, posting a double-double in both contests and averaging 30.5 points and 12.0 rebounds per game.
Mollenhauer equaled her then career-high with 30 points and 10 rebounds in a 90-51 win over Queens (N.C.), finishing 10-of-18 from the field, including 7-of-12 from three-point range, while also recording three steals and two blocks.
She then went on to beat her career-high with 31 points and 14 rebounds in a thrilling 102-100 double overtime win over Carson-Newman, while adding six assists and five blocks.
The Lindale, Texas native finished the week shooting 48 percent from the field, including 55 percent (11-of-20) from three-point range, and also averaged 3.5 assists, 3.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.
Mollenhauer ranks 14th in NCAA DII in points per game (20.9) and is 17th in rebound per game (10.8), while helping Anderson to a 17-3 overall record.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This is the sixth season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division II.
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 Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.
2019-20 USBWA Division II National Players of the Week
Week ending Nov. 10: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Brianna Purcell, Saint Michael's College
· Week ending Nov. 17: Andrew Sischo, Daemen College and Kayla Marosites, Carson-Newman University
· Week ending Nov. 24: Pat Dembley, UT Permian Basin and Kwanza Murray, Lincoln University
· Week ending Dec. 1: Hasan Varence, Ohio Dominican University and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Dec. 8: Peyton Wejnert, Pace University and Taisha DeShazo, Catawba College
· Week ending Dec. 15: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and Jamiyah Johnson, Davis & Elkins College
· Week ending Dec. 29: Kevin Buckingham, Southeastern Oklahoma State University and Peyton Steinman, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending Jan. 5: Jordan Floyd, King University and Mar'Shalia Lollie, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
· Week ending Jan. 12: Sekou Sylla, The College of Saint Rose and Sylvia Hudson, Urbana University
· Week ending Jan. 19: Jhonathan Dunn, Southern Nazarene University and McKayla Roberts, Le Moyne College
· Week ending Jan. 26: Eamonn Joyce, Southern New Hampshire University and Tyra James, Urbana University
· Week ending Feb. 2: Winston Hill, Francis Marion University and Alexy Mollenhauer, Anderson University
· Week ending Feb. 9: Jordan Floyd, King University and Lilly Ritz, Wheeling University
· Week ending Feb. 16: Brian Halums, University of Arkansas-Fort Smith and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University
· Week ending Feb. 23: Brandon Myer, University of Minnesota Duluth and Shannon Ryan, Saint Anselm College
· Week ending March 1: Robbie Heath, West Chester University and Hailey Diestelkamp, Drury University