ST. LOUIS (USBWA) – Jayde Dawson of Amherst College (Amherst, Mass.) and Zarkia Mattox of Ferrum College (Ferrum, Va.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending December 11.

Dawson, a 6-2 junior guard from Montreal, Canada, averaged 28.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game as No. 1-ranked (d3hoops.com) Amherst College (8-0) went 3-0. In a double-overtime 99-97 over No. 2 Babson on Thursday, Dawson scored 32 points, including the game-tying layup with 23 seconds left in the first overtime and the game-winning bucket with only one second remaining in the second overtime. He then scored a career-high 34 points in Amherst’s 92-68 victory over Lasell on Saturday. Dawson began his week with 20 points in a 76-58 win over Brandeis on Tuesday. For the week, he shot 47.1 percent (32-of-68) from the field, 42.8 percent (12-of-28) from three-point range and 58.8 percent (10-of-17) from the foul line. Dawson was also selected the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Player of the Week.  

Mattox, a 5-8 junior guard/forward from Rocky Mount, Va., posted a triple-double in Ferrum’s (4-4) only game last week. She scored 48 points, totaled 12 rebounds and dished out 10 assists as the Panthers defeated Bridgewater 91-89 in overtime on Monday. Mattox added two assists and a block, shot 19-of-29 from the field, 9-of-10 from the foul line and 1-of-2 from three-point range. Eight of her points came in overtime, including the two go-ahead free throws with eight seconds remaining. The 48 points and 19 field goals were both the second-highest single-game totals in Division III this season, while her triple-double was the seventh recorded thus far. Mattox, whose field-goal total also set a school record and tied a conference mark, was also named the USA South Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the third season that the USBWA will recognize national players of the week from Division III.

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 Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.

2016-17 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
• Week ending Nov. 20: Khory Moore, Virginia Wesleyan College and Camille McPherson, Moravian College
• Week ending Nov. 27: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Mikayla Miller, Gustavus Adolphus College
• Week ending Dec. 4: Sam Amsbaugh, Simpson College and Sara Tarbert, Stevenson University
• Week ending Dec. 11: Jayde Dawson, Amherst College and Zarkia Mattox, Ferrum College
• Week ending Dec. 18: Anthony Mosley Jr., Illinois Institute of Technology and Emily Martin, Elizabethtown College
• Week ending Jan. 1: Tyheim Monroe, Cabrini College and Lisa Murphy, Carnegie Mellon University
• Week ending Jan. 8: Frank Schettino, College of Staten Island and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College
• Week ending Jan. 15: Baba Waples, Penn State Berks and Garis Grant, Agnes Scott College
• Week ending Jan. 22: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Lisa Murphy, Carnegie Mellon University
• Week ending Jan. 29: Marcos Echevarria, Nichols College and Kara Hageman, Case Western Reserve University
• Week ending Feb. 5: Caleb Thomasson, Sul Ross State University and Kaitlin Langer, University of St. Thomas
• Week ending Feb. 12: Brendan Wind, Nazareth College and Savannah Olsen, Newbury College
• Week ending Feb. 19: Keegan Ryan, St. John Fisher College and Jill Valley, Westfield State University
• Week ending Feb. 26: Ty Sabin, Ripon College and Katie Sommer, Wartburg College