INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) Robbie Heath of West Chester University (West Chester, Pa.) and Hailey Diestelkamp of Drury University (Springfield, Mo.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending March 1, claiming the final weekly awards of the 2019-20 season.
Heath posted a pair of double-doubles last week, averaging 32.5 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 3.5 steals per game as the Golden Rams split their final two games of the regular season. Heath broke West Chester's single-season scoring record with 39 points in a 103-87 defeat to East Stroudsburg University. Heath also broke the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's freshman scoring record, finishing the regular season with 659 points.
Heath, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound freshman guard from Whittlesea, Australia, scored 26 points with 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals to lead West Chester to an 86-69 win over Millersville, and he followed that performance with 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists against East Stroudsburg for his fourth double-double of the season. For the week, Heath shot 59 percent (22-for-37) from the field, including a 70 percent (7-for-10) clip from three-point range.
Heath ranks eighth in Division II in scoring with 24.4 points per game. He is West Chester's leading rebounder and ranks ninth in the PSAC in rebounds with 7.5 per game.
Heath is the first player from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference to earn USBWA Mens Division II National Player of the Week honors this season.
Diestelkamp, a senior forward, was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Week for the third straight week after netting a program and conference record 53 points in the Panthers' 118-70 win over Rockhurst last Saturday.
The Owensville, Mo., native went 21-of-27 from the field, including 2-of-3 from three-point range and was 9-fo-14 at the free-throw line in that victory, while adding seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Her 53 points is the second most in a single game by an NCAA DII player this season.
Diestelkamp began the week with 19 points, four rebounds and two assists in a 98-57 win over William Jewell.
For the week, she shot 74 percent (29-of-39) from the field, while averaging 36 points, 5.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals, and helped Drury finish the regular season with a 29-0 record, including a 20-0 mark in the GLVC.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA has selected men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This week's honors are the final selections for this season, marking six seasons that the USBWA has recognized 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