NEWBA Announces Weekly Awards for Feb. 20

Jill Valley
Westfield State University
Senior • Guard • Orange, Mass.

Senior guard Jill Valley of Westfield State University is the Presto Sports NEWBA Player of the Week for games played from February 13-19. Valley erupted for a Westfield State and MASCAC record 52 points, which also represents the highest total in NCAA DIII this season, as the Owls posted a 102-82 win over Worcester State on Saturday. Valley shot 19-of-27 from the field, including 2-of-5 from beyond the arc, and 12-of-14 from the free throw line while also recording eight steals, six rebounds, three assists and one block. For the week, she averaged 32.0 points, 7.0 steals, 6.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in a pair of Westfield State victories. 

Rene Hudson 
New England College
Freshman • Guard • Gallatin, Tenn.

Freshman guard Rene Hudson of New England College earns NEWBA Rookie of the Week honors after scoring a game-high 20 points to lead the Pilgrims to a 76-65 win over Colby-Sawyer on Saturday in a battle for third place in the NAC. All five of her field goals in the game were from three-point range as she shot 50 percent from beyond the arc. Hudson also tallied five rebounds and dished out a team-high four assists in the victory. This season, Hudson is averaging 15.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game for New England College. 

• Alicia Brown, University of New England (Sr., C, Greenland, N.H.) - Brown led the Nor'easters to a 2-0 week, averaging 18.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game. She opened the week with 19 points and six boards on Tuesday in an 82-63 win at Gordon, before posting a double-double with 17 points and ten rebounds in Saturday's 91-59 triumph at Nichols.
• Kennedy Guest-Pritchett, Smith (So., F, Fairburn, Ga.) - Guest-Pritchett averaged a double-double for the second consecutive week with 20.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. The sophomore forward shot 64.0 percent from the field (16-of-25) and added 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal and 1.0 block per contest. In an 88-27 win over Mount Holyoke, Guest-Pritchett finished with 18 points and five rebounds, before totaling 23 points and 15 boards against Emerson.
• Heather LeBlanc, Norwich (Sr., F, Sanford, Maine) -  LeBlanc recorded 22 points in back-to-back games for Norwich last week, setting the single-game team record for field goal percentage against Saint Joseph's (Maine) on Tuesday - she made 10-of-11 shots, the best percentage out of any student-athlete with at least eight made field goals. She also posted a double-double against the Monks, hauling in 11 rebounds, while falling just short of a double-double against Lasell on Saturday with 22 points and nine rebounds.
• Sandi Purcell, Keene State (Jr., G, Hudson, N.H.) - Purcell  led the Owls to a pair of Little East Conference victories and to their seventh straight win. In a career-best week for the sharpshooter, Purcell averaged 28.5 points, shooting 20-for-35 (57.1%) and an impressive 15-for-23 (65.2%) from beyond the arc, while chipping in an average of 3.5 assists and 3.5 steals. In a key LEC win over Eastern Connecticut State, Purcell broke her career-high in scoring with 27 points on 7-for-9 shooting from the three-point line, with three assists and four steals, before turning in another career performance against Rhode Island. Against the Anchorwomen, Purcell rewrote her record with a career-best 30 points, including a career-high eight three pointers, and added four assists, two rebounds and three steals. 
• Kenzie Worcester, Husson (So., G, Washburn, Maine) - Worcester helped Husson earn back-to-back wins this past week to finish out the Eagles' regular season, as she averaged 17.5 points, 5.0 assists, and 5.5 steals per game. On Thursday, Husson traveled to Thomas where the senior netted 17 points, hit 8-of-8 (100%) free throws, and handed out six assists in the 75-54 win. Finishing the week at home with a 74-60 victory over Maine-Farmington, the sophomore scored 18 points while draining 7-of-7 (100%) foul shots, and snatching up seven steals.