ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Notre Dame's Brianna Turner as its Women's National Freshman of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 18. The USBWA's weekly honor will be handed out each Tuesday through Feb. 17 this season.

As the Atlantic Coast Conference Player and Freshman of the Week – the first this season for a freshman – Turner earned consideration as a nominee for the weekly award, which was chosen by Mel Greenberg, the USBWA coordinator for women’s basketball, from a list of Division I conference freshmen of the week. This is the second time this season the USBWA has honored her as the National Freshman of the Week.

In the Irish's only game of the week, Turner, a 6-3 forward from Pearland, Texas, became the second NCAA Division I player in 16 seasons to register 29 points, 18 rebounds and seven blocked shots in a game when she posted those career-high totals on Jan. 15 in an 89-79 win at North Carolina.

Since the 2003-04 season, the USBWA has named a Women's National Freshman of the Year. At the 2012 Women's Final Four in Denver, the organization announced going forward that the national and weekly player award has been named for Hall of Famer and former UCLA All-American Ann Meyers Drysdale and another famous name in women’s basketball name is being deliberated for the freshman award. At the conclusion of the regular season, the freshman of the year will be voted on by the entire USBWA membership. The winner of the 2015 Women’s National Freshman of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWA's annual awards event in Tampa, site of the 2015 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.

2014-15 Women's National Freshmen of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 7: A'ja Wilson, South Carolina (Southeastern Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 14: Kaylee Johnson, Stanford (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 21: Azurá Stevens, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 28: Brianna Turner, Notre Dame (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 4: Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 11: Ashunae Durant, Hofstra (Colonial Athletic Association)
• Week ending Jan. 18: Brianna Turner, Notre Dame (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 25: Kelsey Mitchell, Ohio State (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 1: Ariel Atkins, Texas (Big 12 Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 8: Azurá Stevens, Duke (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 15: Victoria Vivians, Mississippi State (Southeastern Conference)