INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Sam Jefferson of Colby College (Waterville, Maine) and Dejah Terrell of Albright College (Reading, Pa.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending January 19.

Jefferson, a 6-4 senior guard from Newton, Mass., helped lead No. 5-ranked (D3hoops.com) Colby (16-0, 4-0) to a pair of road conference victories last week. In Friday’s 89-82 win at then-No. 5 Middlebury, Jefferson scored 22 points (eight in the final 4:10) to secure the Mules' victory. He shot 7-of-11 from the field, 3-of-7 from three-point range and 5-of-7 from the foul line to go with three rebounds and a steal. Then, in Saturday’s 73-61 win at Williams, Jefferson accounted for 45 percent of Colby’s offense by scoring 33 points (12-of-16 FG, 6-of-9 3FG, 3-of-3 FT) while adding two rebounds and an assist. For the week, he averaged 27.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.5 steals while shooting 70.3 percent (19-of-27) from the field, 56.3 percent (9-of-17) from three-point land and 80 percent (8-of-10) from the foul line. For his efforts, Jefferson, who ranks second in NCAA Division III in field goal percentage (51.7), was also named the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Player of the Week as Colby remained one of only two unbeaten teams.

Terrell, a 6-1 sophomore forward from Reading, Pa., averaged 37 points and 16 rebounds as No. 13-ranked (WBCA) Albright split its two conference games last week. Terrell totaled 33 points (including a career-high six three-pointers), 17 rebounds and two blocks as the Lions (15-1, 6-1) defeated Widener 83-72 on Wednesday. She shot 12-of-20 from the field, 6-of-10 from three-point range and 3-of-3 from the foul line in the contest. Then, in an 82-73 loss (the squad’s first of the season) vs. Messiah on Saturday, Terrell scored a career-high 41 points (15-of-28 FG, 4-of-7 3FG, 7-of-8 FT) to go with 15 rebounds, three blocks, three assists, and a steal. Over the two games, she averaged 37 points, 16 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 0.5 steals, while shooting 56 percent (27-of-48) from the field, 58 percent (10-of-17) from downtown and 90 percent (10-of-11) from the charity stripe. For her efforts, Terrell was also named the Middle Atlantic Conference Commonwealth 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