CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Colgate junior guard Rachel Thompson earned Patriot League Women’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for the first time while Lehigh freshman forward Emma Grothaus was selected as rookie of the week for the second time, as announced by the League office on Monday.
Thompson earned her sixth double-double of the season with a career-high 30 points and 15 rebounds in the 73-64 overtime win versus Loyola Maryland. Grothaus scored in double-figures against Colgate and Army West Point with 10 points in each game.
Bucknell senior forward Kaitlyn Slagus, Lehigh junior forward Camryn Benz and Loyola Maryland sophomore guard Izzy Therien each earned honorable mentions.
The Patriot League Women’s Basketball Player and Rookie of the Week are selected in a vote by League media members and each school’s sports information director, who are not eligible to vote for their own student-athletes.
Patriot League Player of the Week
Rachel Thompson, Colgate, Jr., G, St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School
* Thompson averaged 21.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 3.5 steals in games against Lehigh and Loyola Maryland.
* Versus Lehigh, the junior contributed 12 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals.
* In Colgate’s 73-64 overtime win against Loyola Maryland, Thompson posted a career-high 30 points, including one free-throw to send the games into overtime. She also had 15 boards in the win for her sixth career double-double.
* This is the Raiders’ first Patriot League Player of the Week award since Josie Stockill won in December of 2015.
Patriot League Rookie of the Week
Emma Grothaus, Lehigh, Fr., F, Mahtomedi, Minn./Mahtomedi
* Grothaus averaged 10 points and 3.5 rebounds in the Mountain Hawks’ wins over Colgate and Army West Point.
* In the 86-58 victory over the Raiders, the rookie produced 10 points, five boards, two steals and one assist.
* The forward then contributed 10 points, two rebounds, a season-high two blocks and one steal to the 73-50 win against the Black Knights.
Honorable Mentions
Kaitlyn Slagus, Bucknell, Sr., F, Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon
* Slagus tallied back-to-back double-digit scoring performances with 17 points versus Loyola Maryland (W, 75-57) and 16 points against Holy Cross (W, 75-71). Slagus has scored double-digits in seven consecutive games, averaging 15.7 points during that stretch.
Camryn Benz, Lehigh, F, Jr., Montgomery, N.J./Montgomery
* Benz posted 11 points and eight rebounds along with one assist and one steal against Colgate, followed by a career-high 15 boards to go with seven points the 73-50 win over Army West Point.
Izzy Therien, Loyola Maryland, So., G, Marlton, N.J./Cherokee
* Therien scored in double-figures in both of Loyola Maryland’s games last week, with 12 points versus Bucknell and 27 points against Colgate.
Past 2018 Weekly Award Winners
Player of the Week
11.12 – Natalie Kucowski, Lafayette, So., F
11.19 – Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, Jr., F
11.26 – Kaitlyn Slagus, Bucknell, Sr., F
12.3 – Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, Jr., F
12.10 – Madison Hovren, Army West Point, Sr., F
12.17 – Abby Kapp, Bucknell, So., G
12.24 – Stephanie Karcz, Loyola Maryland, Jr., G
12.31 – Lauren Manis, Holy Cross, Jr., F
1.7 – Payton Hauck, Boston University, Sr., G
1.14 – Kaitlyn Slagus, Bucknell, Sr., F
1.21 – Madison Hovren, Army West Point, Sr., F
Rookie of the Week
11.12 – Emma Grothaus, Lehigh, Fr., F
11.19 – Avery LaBarbera, Holy Cross, Fr., G
11.26 – Avery LaBarbera, Holy Cross, Fr., G
12.3 – Jennifer Coleman, Navy, Fr., G
12.10 – Taleah Dixon, Loyola Maryland, Fr., G
12.17 – Marly Walls, Bucknell, Fr., G
12.24 – Jennifer Coleman, Navy, Fr., G
12.31 – Avery LaBarbera, Holy Cross, Fr., G
1.7 – Claire Steele, Lehigh, Fr., G
1.14 – Jade Edwards, American, Fr., G
1.21 – Emily Fisher, American, Fr., G
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its third decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.