INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Hasan Varence of Ohio Dominican University (Columbus, Ohio) and Shannon Ryan of Saint Anselm College (Manchester, N.H.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending December 1.

Varence, a senior forward, claimed his first Division II National Player of the Week honor of the season after he posted a pair of double-doubles and averaged 28 points and 13.5 rebounds to lead Ohio Dominican to a split of its two games last week against Missouri-St. Louis and Maryville. Varence notched 30 points and 16 rebounds in a 70-64 defeat to UMSL before he helped the Panthers snap a three-game losing streak by posting 26 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists in an 84-60 win over Maryville.

A native of Queens, N.Y., Varence added 4 blocked shots and a steal on the week, and he finished the week shooting 68 percent (21-for-31) from the floor, including a 42 percent (5-for-12) clip from three-point range, and he sank 9-of-10 from the free throw line. On the season, the 6-foot-6 forward is averaging team-highs of 20.6 points and 10.0 rebounds per game with four double-doubles through the first eight games of the season. He is one of just 8 players in Division II averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game this season.

Ryan was named the Northeast 10 Conference Player of the Week after scoring a career-high 33 points in helping the Hawks to an 84-83 victory over Southern New Hampshire last week.

The senior forward finished 13-of-23 from the floor, while also pulling down 17 rebounds for her 43rd career double-double. She also dished out two assists and blocked a pair of shots in the victory as Saint Anselm improved to 5-0.

On the season, the Plattsburgh, N.Y., native leads NCAA Division II with 15.0 rebounds per game and is second in scoring at 29.2 points per game.

Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selecting men's and women's Division II National Players of the Week. This is the sixth season that the USBWA will recognize 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