INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) Robbie Heath
of West Chester University (West Chester, Pa.) and Hailey
Diestelkamp of Drury University (Springfield, Mo.) were
named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division II
National Players of the Week for the week ending March
1, claiming the final weekly awards of the 2019-20 season.
Heath posted a pair of double-doubles last week, averaging 32.5
points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 3.5 steals per game as the
Golden Rams split their final two games of the regular season. Heath
broke West Chester's single-season scoring record with 39 points
in a 103-87 defeat to East Stroudsburg University. Heath also broke
the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's freshman scoring record,
finishing the regular season with 659 points.
Heath, a 6-foot-3, 180-pound freshman guard from Whittlesea,
Australia, scored 26 points with 13 rebounds, 4 assists, and 5 steals
to lead West Chester to an 86-69 win over Millersville, and he followed
that performance with 39 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists against
East Stroudsburg for his fourth double-double of the season. For
the week, Heath shot 59 percent (22-for-37) from the field, including
a 70 percent (7-for-10) clip from three-point range.
Heath ranks eighth in Division II in scoring with 24.4 points
per game. He is West Chester's leading rebounder and ranks ninth
in the PSAC in rebounds with 7.5 per game.
Heath is the first player from the Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference to earn USBWA Mens Division II National Player of the
Week honors this season.
Diestelkamp, a senior forward, was named the Great Lakes Valley
Conference Player of the Week for the third straight week after
netting a program and conference record 53 points in the Panthers'
118-70 win over Rockhurst last Saturday.
The Owensville, Mo., native went 21-of-27 from the field, including
2-of-3 from three-point range and was 9-fo-14 at the free-throw
line in that victory, while adding seven rebounds, four assists
and two steals. Her 53 points is the second most in a single game
by an NCAA DII player this season.
Diestelkamp began the week with 19 points, four rebounds and
two assists in a 98-57 win over William Jewell.
For the week, she shot 74 percent (29-of-39) from the field,
while averaging 36 points, 5.5 rebounds, three assists and 1.5 steals,
and helped Drury finish the regular season with a 29-0 record, including
a 20-0 mark in the GLVC.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA has selected men's and women's Division
II National Players of the Week. This week's honors are the final
selections for this season, marking six seasons that the USBWA has
recognized 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
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