INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – Jake Ross of Springfield College (Springfield, Mass.) and Katie McShea of Marymount University (Arlington, Va.) were named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association Division III National Players of the Week for the week ending February 9.

Ross, a 6-5 senior guard from Northampton, Mass., scored a whopping 55 points (second-highest in Division III this season) in a 105-99 double-overtime win against Coast Guard on Wednesday. That career-high effort was supplemented by a career-high 21 rebounds, three assists, five steals (two in the final 33 seconds of the second overtime) and a block. Then, on Saturday, in the No. 20 (D3hoops.com) Pride's (18-3, 9-1) 86-76 win over Emerson, Ross totaled 29 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and a career-high-tying four blocks. For the week, he averaged 42 points, 17.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, three steals, and 2.5 blocks while shooting 50.9 percent (28-of-55) from the field, 80 percent (20-of-25) from the foul line and 53.3 percent (8-of-15) from three-point range. Ross, selected USBWA Player of the Week for the second time this season, was also named the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Offensive and Defensive Athlete of the Week for the second time in 2019-20.

McShea, a 5-11 sophomore forward from Hainesport, N.J., recorded double-doubles in each of the Saints' (18-4, 8-1) two victories last week. On Wednesday, she scored 27 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, dished out seven assists, and added three steals as Marymount handed Cabrini its first conference loss of the season, 68-45. Then, in Saturday's 91-48 win at Neumann, McShea totaled 20 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and one block. For the week, she averaged 23.5 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 76 percent (19-of-25) from the field and 75 percent (9-of-12) from the foul line. For her efforts, McShea was also named the Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Player of the Week for the fifth time this season and was selected to the D3hoops.com Team 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