NEWBA Announces Weekly Awards for Jan. 23

Heather LeBlanc
Norwich University
Senior • Forward • Sanford, Maine

Senior forward Heather LeBlanc of Norwich University is the Presto Sports NEWBA Player of the Week for games played from January 16-22. Over three games last week, LeBlanc averaged 21.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game while shooting nearly 57% from the floor (25-for-44) and 93.3% from the free throw line (14-for-15). Against Anna Maria on Thursday, she scored 33 points on 13-of-15 shooting (86.7%) while adding nine rebounds. The senior opened her week with 16 points, 17 rebounds, three assists and two blocks against Suffolk on Monday, and closed it out with another 16-point efffort at Rivier on Saturday. 

Kyra Rose
Fitchburg State University
Freshman • Guard • Rockland, Mass.

Freshman guard Kyra Rose of Fitchburg State University earns NEWBA Rookie of the Week honors for the second time this season. In a 2-1 week, Rose averaged 14.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. She scored a game-best 14 points to go with eight boards, five assists and three steals in a 67-27 win over Green Mountain on Monday, before adding seven points, eight rebounds, two assists and one block in a 62-38 setback to MCLA on Wednesday. Rose capped the week with a double-double of 23 points and ten rebounds to go along with four assists, four steals and three blocks in a 76-61 win against Salem State on Saturday.

• Nakira Examond, UMass Dartmouth (So., F, New Bedford, Mass.) - Examond averaged 18.5 points and 12 rebounds in two wins for UMass Dartmouth last week and has now registered five straight double-doubles. She scored 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds on Wednesday against RIC, before adding a game-high 19 points and 14 boards in win at Keene State on Saturday.
• Lexis Foster, Eastern Connecticut State (Sr., C, Groton, Conn.) - Foster shot 64.3 percent from the floor (9-of-14), 66.7 percent from the foul line (10-of-15) and averaged 11.0 rebounds and 7.0 blocks in a 75-73 overtime win at Western Connecticut and a 64-41 home victory over Southern Maine last week.
• Kelsi McNamara, Saint Joseph's (Maine) (So., G, West Newbury, Mass.) - McNamara averaged 18.3 points, 4.3 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game in a 3-0 week for Saint Joseph's. The second-year starter netted 30 points with a program-record eight three-pointers made in an 85-64 victory over Anna Maria College Monday, and shot 55.9% (19-34) from the floor and 62.5% (15-24) from three-point range for the week. 
• Kenzie Worcester, Husson (So., G, Washburn, Maine) - Worcester helped lead Husson to a 3-0 week, averaging 17.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game while shooting 54.8% from the field and 46.7% from three-point range. In a 76-73 win over Colby on Tuesday, she made 10-of-15 field goals on her way to 28 points.
• Dolly Yuan, MIT (So., G, San Jose, Calif.) - In a 2-0 week for MIT, Yuan averaged 18 points, four assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 72.2 percent from the floor and 80 percent from three-point range. She opened the week with a game and career-high 21 points on 7-of-9 shooting and dished out a team-high five assists in the Engineers' 91-54 win over Emerson on Wednesday. Yuan then totaled a game-high 15 points to go along with four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in 39 minutes of action in a 61-54 victory over Coast Guard on Saturday.