ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Nebraska forward Jessica Shephard as the Women's National Freshman of the Week for the second time this season, the latest honor is for games ending the week of Sunday, Jan. 24. The USBWA's weekly honor will be handed out each Tuesday through Feb. 23 this season.

As the Big Ten Conference rookie of the week, Shepard, who also won the conference’s player of the week honor, 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.

Shepard, a 6-4 forward from Fremont, Neb., averaged 28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 2 blocks in wins over Purdue and Michigan. In the win over the Wolverines, she became the first player in Huskers history to post a 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds performance, scoring 35 points and a career-high 20 rebounds. She was also a Big Ten dual honoree when she won the USBWA freshman award last month.

Since the 2003-04 season, the USBWA has named a Women's National Freshman of the Year. This is the second the season USBWA has honored a national freshman of the week. 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 2016 Women’s National Freshman of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWA's annual awards event in Indianapolis, site of the 2016 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.

2015-16 Women's National Freshmen of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 13: Kristine Anigwe, California (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 20: Jessica Shepard, Nebraska (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Dec. 27: Allazia Blockton, Marquette (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 3: Caitlin Jenkins, Southern Miss (Conference USA)
• Week ending Jan. 10: Kitja Laksa, South Florida (American Athletic Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 17: Asia Durr, Louisville (Atlantic Coast Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 24: Jessica Shephard, Nebraska (Big Ten Conference)
• Week ending Jan. 31: Allazia Blockton, Marquette (Big East Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 7: Maite Cazorla, Oregon (Pac-12 Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 14: Aryn McClure, Quinnipiac (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference)
• Week ending Feb. 21: Adrianna Hahn, Villanova (Big East Conference)