Hovren (Army/DI) and Simmons (Rutgers-Newark/DII-III) Earn Weekly Awards
MBWA Players of the Week (1-30 to 2-5) 2016-17 / Week 8
FFI: Chuck Stogel, MBWA - 914-428-6111, chstogel@aol.com
Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association
www.MetBasketballWriters.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Third-time Hovren, Plus Simmons, Named WBB Players of the Week
NEW YORK (Feb. 7, 2017) ---
Madison Hovren of Army in Division I and
Maria Simmons of Rutgers-Newark in Divisions II-III have been named Women’s Players of the Week, respectively, by the Met Basketball Writers Assn.
The designations, for games played Jan. 30-Feb. 5, are unique in that they encompass players from 74 Met area schools across Divisions I, II and III.
The MBWA selection is the third this season for Hovren, who previously was named Met Division I Player of the Week on Dec. 6 and Jan. 17.
A 5-11 sophomore forward from Spokane, WA, Hovren --- who also was named the Patriot League player of the week --- averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds in a pair of victories for the Cadets (16-6).
She netted 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting (67%) from the floor and grabbed nine rebounds in a 63-55 victory at Lafayette.
Hovren then produced 28 points and 15 rebounds during a 67-48 win over Loyola. She scored nine points and grabbed six rebounds in the third quarter against the Greyhounds to help the Black Knights outscore their opponent, 24-14, in the period. With her double-double against Loyola, Hovren increased her season and career total to 12.
A 5-10 senior guard from Irvington, NJ, Simmons --- who also was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference player of the week --- played 84 out of 85 minutes in registering an average of 35.5 points on 62% shooting from the field and 56% from 3-point range to go with 11.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 4.5 steals in leading the Scarlet Raiders (9-13) to a pair of NJAC victories last week.
In a 68-61 road win over Ramapo, she scored a then-career-high 34 points, adding 10 rebounds and five assists for her first double-double of the week. Simmons followed with another career-high of 37 points, scoring 16 points in the fourth-quarter en route to a 76-65 comeback triumph in overtime over William Paterson. She added 13 rebounds and five assists in that game, racking up nine total thefts in the two contests.
Players receiving MBWA Women’s Division I Honorable Mention for the week: Andraya Adams, St. John’s; Ashunae Durant, Hofstra; Marina Lizarazu, Iona.
Players receiving MBWA Women’s Divisions II-III Honorable Mention for the week: Sienna Clark, Adelphi; Amely Del Rosario, Lehman; Kristen Drogsler, Caldwell; Samantha Flecker, Staten Island; Kaitlyn McCue, St. Thomas Aquinas; Aliyah McDonald, Molloy; Alyssa McDonough, FDU-Florham; Jessica Rosalbo, Concordia; Tia Solomon, Ramapo.
Previous MBWA 2016-17 Women’s Players of the Week: Dec. 6, Madison Hovren, Army, Div. I; Madison Rowland, Queens, Divs. II-III; Dec. 13, Robin Perkins, Rider, Div. I; Calli Balfour, Adelphi, Divs. II-III; Dec. 20, Alexis Lewis, Iona, Div. I; Sierra Clark, Adelphi, and Kristen Drogsler, Caldwell, Divs. II-III; Jan. 10, Jade Walker, St. Jonn’s, Div. I; Katie Sire, Montclair State, Divs. II-III; Jan. 17, Madison Hovren, Army, Div. I; Sierra Clark, Adelphi, and Alyssa McDonough, FDU Florham, Divs. II-III; Jan. 24, Marina Lizarazu, Iona, Div. I; Kaitlyn Astel, Stevens, Divs. II-III; Jan. 31, Camille Zimmerman, Columbia, Div. I; Madison Rowland, Queens, Divs. II-III.