ASSOCIATION OF DIVISION III INDEPENDENTS

WEEKLY PLAYER AWARDS
Monday, February 28, 2005

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL tri-PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

LATRESE McNAIR
New Jersey City University
Sophomore | Point Guard | Elizabeth, NJ / Elizabeth HS

New Jersey City University sophomore point guard Latrese McNair was named to the D3Hoops.com National Team of the Week, and in a week where three independent women had superior weeks, is an Association of Division III Independents tri-Player of the Week. The national leader in steals per game, likely clinched the national statistical championship in the category, by averaging 11.5 points, 6.25 steals, 4.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds per game, and was named to the All-Tournament team of the AD3 Independent Northeast Tournament II.

In four games, she tallied 46 points, 25 steals, 18 rebounds, and 18 assists, shot .362 from the field and .714 from the line. She had 17 points, nine steals, and five assists at Lincoln on February 22, marking the sixth time this season she has had at least nine steals in a game. She had a solid all-around effort in a 64-54 road win at Mitchell, with seven points, seven rebounds, five steals, and five assists.

In the AD3 Independent Semifinals, she led NJCU with 11 points, seven rebounds, six steals, and four assists, as the top-seeded Knights defeated host Russell Sage College, 59-51 on February 25. In the championship game against Finlandia University, she again scored 11, with five steals, and four assists, and NJCU held a seven-point lead until FU reeled off an 18-0 run in the final five minutes to clinch the title. McNair finished the year with an NJCU single-season record 145 steals, and with 227 career swipes is now second in school history, 40 shy of the all-time standard, with two years left in her career.

BROOKE SIRARD
Finlandia University
Sophomore | Center | L'Anse, MI / L'Anse HS

The Most Valuable Player of the Association of Division III Independents Northeast Regional II Tournament, Sirard is a Division III Independents tri-Player of the Week after averaging 17.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 5.0 blocks per game, while shooting .571 from the field.

The 6-foot-2 center led the Lions to the championship of the tournament with a 58-49 victory over New Jersey City University, as Finlandia overcame a seven-point deficit to win, thanks to an 18-0 run in the final five minutes, led by Sirard. She tallied 18 points on 8-of-15 (.533) shooting, with nine rebounds and four blocked shots. In the semifinals, she posted 16 points on 8-of-13 shooting (.615), while amassing six blocked shots and three boards in a victory over Meredith College. Sirard is the first Finlandia women’s basketball player to be honored with a weekly award this season.

TARN UDALL
Colorado College
Freshman | Center | Carbondale, CO / Roaring Fork HS

Even though her team did not win the 2005 Colorado College Independent Challenge, CC freshman center Tarn Udall was named Most Valuable Player, averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds per game while shooting .524 in a 2-1 week for the Tigers. She is an Association of Division III Independents Women's Basketball tri-Player of the Week, marking the third time in four weeks and the fourth time overall this season she has received recognition.

In a 78-51 victory over fellow independent UC-Santa Cruz on February 27, she had a 20-20 showing, with 20 points (3-10, .300) and 20 rebounds (13 defensive), while adding two assists and two steals, and converting 14-of-23 from the line. Her career-high 20 rebounds also broke the Tigers’ 27-year old single-season record for rebounds with 322, one more than the previous mark of 321 set in 1977-78. It was also her 15th double-double of the season.

In a 63-58 loss to Nebraska-Wesleyan on February 25, CC was in complete control until Udall went to the bench after being called for her fourth foul with 12:44 remaining in the game. With CC's leading scorer and rebounder on the bench, the Prairie Wolves overcame an eight-point deficit to take the lead. Despite missing 17 minutes because of the foul trouble, Udall still scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting (.730), with six caroms. In the Tigers’ other game, she had 12 points and 12 rebounds in a 53-41 road victory at Division II Colorado Christian University. For the season, Udall led the Tigers in points (356), rebounds (322), steals (51) and blocked shots (22).