NEW YORK (Feb. 25, 2025) ---
Natalie Bruns of New York University has been named Divisions II/III Women’s Player of the Week by the Met Basketball Writers Association.
The designation, for games played Feb. 17-23, is unique in that it encompasses players from 49 Met area schools across Divisions II and III.
This is the second MBWA weekly award for Bruns this season, winning the first back on Dec. 10, and the third overalll in her collegiate career.
A 6-1 graduate forward from St. Louis, MO, Bruns averaged a double-double with 18.5 points and 10.0 rebounds as the nationally No. 1-ranked Violets (24-0, 13-0 UAA) solidified their University Athletic Association first-place lead with a pair of homecourt victories over Carnegie Mellon 83-52 on Friday and Case Western Reserve 86-62 on Sunday.
Bruns’ stat line for the two contests included averaging 6.0 assists, 3.5 blocks and 1.5 steals per game. Overall, she shot 54.8% (17-of-31) from the field.
Bruns posted 21 points on 10-of-13 shooting to go with 10 rebounds against Carnegie Mellon.
She fell two assists shy of a triple-double against Case Western in registering 16 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and five blocks.
Bruns leads the UAA in assists (109, 4.5 apg) and blocks (69, 2.9 bpg, 7th in NCAA); is second in field goal shooting (58.1%, 11th in nation); and third in the league in both scoring (17.0 ppg) and steals (52, 2.2 spg).
Last week’s victories pushed NYU’s nationally longest winning streak to 55 games, the 12th best streak in NCAA history.
This was the last week of the season for the MBWA 2024-25 Players of the Week program.
Over the next few weeks, the Met Writers group will be selecting its All-Met men’s and women’s teams for Divisions I, II and III. All-Met players and coaches will be honored Thursday evening, April 24, at the 92nd MBWA All-Met Haggerty Awards Dinner set for the Sleepy Hollow Hotel & Conference Center in Tarrytown, NY.
Players receiving MBWA Divisions II/III Honorable Mention for the week: Kristen Donovan, St. Joseph’s Brooklyn; Heaven Figueroa, Lehman; Michaela Lattimore, John Jay; Grace Lesko, Mercy; Elissa Leung, Baruch.
Previous MBWA 2024-25 Divisions II/III Women’s Players of the Week: Dec. 10,
Natalie Bruns, NYU; Dec. 17,
Carolae Barton, USMMA; Jan. 7,
Renee Wells, William Paterson; Jan. 14,
Heaven Figueroa, Lehman; Jan. 21,
Mia Castillo of Baruch; Jan. 28,
Alexa Charles, Hunter; Feb. 4,
Alexa Charles, Hunter; Feb. 11,
Nkiru Awaka, Queens; Feb. 18,
Stephanie Formby, Felician.
--- www.metbasketballwriters.org ---