NEW YORK (Feb. 10, 2015) --- Betnijah Laney of Rutgers and Kelly Fraser of Mount St. Vincent have been named Women’s Division I and Divisions II-III Players of the Week, respectively, by the Met Basketball Writers Assn.

The designations, for games played Feb. 2-8, are unique in that they encompass players from 74 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.

Laney’s honor represents the second time this season she has achieved the MBWA distinction.

In playing every minute of both Big 10 contests, Laney --- a 6-0 senior forward from Clayton, Del. --- posted a pair of double-doubles by averaging 16.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and 4.5 assists in leading Rutgers (18-5) to a 46-43 home victory over then Nos. 19/18 Nebraska and a 57-50 road win over Michigan.

Laney scored 16 points, with a perfect 6-of-6 at the foul line, and hauled in 11 rebounds against Nebraska. She then notched 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the field and 10 had boards, along with a career-best seven assists and two steals against Michigan.

On the season, Laney has notched 16 double-doubles, surpassing her total last year of 15. She is averaging a team-leading 15.8 points and 11.7 rebounds per game. 

A 5-11 senior center and prolific rebounder from Staten Island, NY, Fraser --- who also was named Skyline Conference player of the week --- averaged 17.3 rebounds, 19.3 points, 3.0 steals and 1.7 blocks in a 2-1 week for the Dolphins (15-5).

Fraser opened the week with a season-high 20 rebounds and 23 points in a 59-53 home loss to Farmingdale State. Next, she had 13 rebounds and five blocks, along with 13 points in a 76-55 road victory over Old Westbury. She closed the week with 22 points, 19 rebounds and six steals in an 89-67 triumph at Purchase. For the week, Fraser shot 46.4% from the floor and averaged just under 31 minutes per game.

Players receiving MBWA Women’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Tori Jarosz, Marist; Kelsey Minato, Army; Emily Tapio, Fordham; Jasmine Nwajei, Wagner.

Players receiving MBWA Women’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week: Kaitlyn Astel, Stevens; Veronica Ganzi, Baruch; Bria Smith, NJCU; Dina Ragab, NYIT; Melissa Tobie, Montclair State.

Previous MBWA 2014-15 Women’s Players of the Week: Dec. 9, Betnijah Laney, Rutgers; Dec. 16, Kelsey Minato, Army; Dec. 23, Aliyyah Handford, St. John’s, and Alyson Caiazzo, Manhattanville (co-winners); Jan. 13, Ka-Deidre Simmons, Seton Hall, Div. I . . . Madison Rowland, Queens, Divs. II-III; Jan. 20, Ka-Deidre Simmons, Seton Hall, Div. I . . . Bria Smith, NJCU, Divs. II-III; Jan. 27, Kelsey Minato, Army, Div. I . . . Jah-Leah Ellis, College of New Rochelle, Divs. II-III; Feb. 3, Kelsey Minato, Army, and Samantha Cooper, Fairfield (co-winners), Div. I . . . Melissa Peng, NYU, Divs. II-III.

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