INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Peyton Wejnert of Pace University (Pleasantville, N.Y.) and Taisha DeShazo of Catawba College (Salisbury, N.C.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II National Players of the Week for the week ending December 8.

Wejnert, a senior forward claimed his first Division II National Player of the Week honor of the season after he averaged a double-double in a pair of victories last week, averaging 30.5 points and 10.0 rebounds to help Pace extend its winning streak to nine games to start the 2019-20 season.

 Wejnert scored a career-high 40 points with 12 rebounds – his third double-double of the season – to lead the Setters to a 94-82 win over Saint Rose in Northeast-10 Conference play, and he added 21 points and 8 rebounds in a 68-65 non-conference win over New York Tech. He shot 67 percent from the field on the week, making 16-of-22 shots and 8-of-10 free throws in his 40-point performance against Saint Rose, and he was 10-for-17 from the floor against New York Tech.

The native of Point Pleasant, N.J., leads the Northeast-10 Conference and ranks seventh nationally in scoring, averaging 24.9 points per game, and he ranks fourth in the conference in rebounds, averaging 9.2 per game. He is one of just two players in Division II who rank in the national top-15 in scoring and also in the top-50 for rebounding.

DeShazo was named the South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week after scoring a school record 42 points in leading the Indians to a 101-86 conference win over UVA-Wise.

The junior forward finished 13-of-24 (54.2 percent) from the field, including 7-of-14 from three-point range. DeShazo also added seven rebounds, two steals and two assists and made 9-of-12 attempts at the free-throw line as Catawba rallied from a 12-point halftime deficit with a 46-point third quarter. She had 18 of her points in that frame.

The Martinsville, Va., native's 42-point game equals the third highest single game total by an NCAA Division II player this season.

On the year, DeShazo averages 18.3 points per game for 7-0 Catawba.

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