ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Connecticut guard Tiffany Hayes as its Women's National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 29. The USBWA's weekly honor will be handed out each Tuesday through Feb. 21 this season.

Hayes

As the Big East Conference Player of the Week, Hayes was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week.

Hayes, a 5-10 senior from Lakeland, Fla., scored 68 points in back-to-back wins – the most ever in UConn's storied history – averaging 34.0 points, 8.5 rebounds while shooting 70 percent from the field. In a 95-54 win over Syracuse last Monday, she scored a career-high 35 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including 6-of-8 from 3-point range. On Wednesday, she added 33 points and 10 rebounds in a 77-62 win over USF for the No. 3 Huskies (20-2).

She is Connecticut's leading scorer with a 16.1 average and is fifth in the Big East in scoring.

This is the first season that the USBWA has selected a women's national player of the week. The weekly national player of the week is added to the award's watch list, which will be released at mid-season.

Since the 1987-88 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. 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 2012 National Player of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWA's annual awards breakfast in Denver, site of the 2012 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 314-444-4300.

2011-12 USBWA Women's National Players of the Week
• Week of Dec. 11: A'dia Mathies, Kentucky (Southeastern Conference)
• Week of Dec. 18: Brittney Griner, Baylor (Big 12 Conference)
• Week of Dec. 25: Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 1: Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown (Big East Conference)
• Week of Jan. 8: Elena Delle Donne, Delaware (Colonial Athletic Association)
• Week of Jan. 15: Brittany Rayburn, Purdue (Big Ten Conference)
• Week of Jan. 22: Jessica Jenkins, St. Bonaventure (Atlantic 10 Conference)
• Week of Jan. 29: Tiffany Hayes, Connecticut (Big East Conference)
• Week of Feb. 5: Markeshia Grant, South Carolina (Southeastern Conference)
• Week of Feb. 12: Tianna Hawkins, Maryland (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week of Feb. 19: Shey Peddy, Temple (Atlantic 10 Conference)