INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Chris LaBelle
of Centenary University (Hackettstown, N.J.) and Olivia
Nagy of John Carroll University (University Heights, Ohio)
were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division
III National Players of the Week for the week ending January
12.
LaBelle, a 6-1 junior guard from Hamilton, N.J., set three team
records as the Cyclones (9-6, 4-0) won all three of their games
last week. In Monday's 98-94 overtime win against Clarks Summit,
LaBelle scored a team-record 45 points, including a program-best
18 free throws, while adding 10 rebounds, three assists and a steal.
On Thursday, he recorded a triple-double with 33 points, 10 rebounds
and a school-record 12 assists in a 102-83 victory over Keystone.
Then, on Saturday in another overtime affair, LaBelle finished with
28 points, four rebounds, eight assists, and two steals in Centenary's
104-99 win over Cairn. For the week, he averaged 35.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg,
7.6 apg, and 1.0 spg, while shooting 50 percent (29-of-58) from
the field, 80.7 percent (42-of-52) from the foul line and 35.2 percent
(6-of-17) from three-point range. LaBelle, who was on the floor
for all but one minute of action last week, was also named the Colonial
States Athletic Conference (CSAC) Player of the Week.
Nagy, a 6-2 sophomore center from Lakewood, Ohio, recorded a
pair of double-doubles as the Blue Streaks (11-2, 5-1) won both
of their games last week. On Wednesday, Nagy scored 22 points, posted
career highs of 19 rebounds and eight blocks, and added a steal
in John Carroll's 60-52 victory at Otterbein. On Saturday, she totaled
24 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks, two steals, and an assist in
her team's 90-72 win over Wilmington. Over the two games, Nagy averaged
23 points, 15 rebounds, 6.5 blocks, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 assists.
She shot 58.8 percent (20-of-34) from the field and 60 percent (6-of-10)
from the charity stripe. Nagy, who currently leads NCAA Division
III with 4.15 blocks per game (third best in all NCAA Divisions)
and is 13th in field goal percentage (.585), was also named the
Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) 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 sixth 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 Malcolm Moran
at 814-574-1485.
2019-20 USBWA Division III National Players of the Week
• Week ending Nov. 10: Nate Schimonitz, Nebraska Wesleyan University and Tessa Zamolyi, Misericordia University
• Week ending Nov. 17: Jake Ross, Springfield College and Leah Porath, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
• Week ending Nov. 24: Matthew Mancuso, University of Scranton and Katelyn Pickunka, Smith College
• Week ending Dec. 1: Hunter Martineau, Hilbert College and Sydney Kopp, DePauw University
• Week ending Dec. 8: Jared Wagner, York College and Amina Wiley, Mitchell College
• Week ending Dec. 15: Eric Demers, Gordon College and Alexis Jones, Augustana College
• Week ending Jan. 5: Tyler Frederick, La Roche University and Katie Garrish, Southern Virginia University
• Week ending Jan. 12: Chris LaBelle, Centenary University and Olivia Nagy, John Carroll University
• Week ending Jan. 19: Sam Jefferson, Colby College and Dejah Terrell, Albright College
• Week ending Jan. 26: Nate West, LeTourneau University and Taite Anderson, Bethel University
• Week ending Feb. 2: Brian Cameron, Wesley College and Abbey Lawrence, Case Western Reserve University
• Week ending Feb. 9: Jake Ross, Springfield College and Katie McShea, Marymount University
• Week ending Feb. 16: Isaiah Brown, SUNY Potsdam and Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda, Emmanuel College
• Week ending Feb. 23: Nate West, LeTourneau University and Shyla Osmond, Albertus Magnus College
• Week ending March 1: Gabriel Leifer, Yeshiva University and Kelly Williams, Randolph-Macon College
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