Photo by: Columbia University Athletics/Mike McLaughlin
Durr Earns National Freshman Honors, Casey Adds MBWA Recognition
1/8/2019 4:04:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Ivy League Player and Rookie of the Week collect USBWA and Met Basketball accolades
ST. LOUIS and NEW YORK – The United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) has named Columbia first-year Sienna Durr its NCAA Women's Freshman of the Week, while the Metropolitan Basketball Writers Association has named sophomore Riley Casey its Co-Player of the Week. Both associations announced their weekly honors Tuesday.
Durr becomes the first player in Columbia women's basketball history to garner the USBWA's national rookie honors. The Iowa native out of Grinnell High School powered her way to 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 68 percent (17-25) from the field to help the Lions to a 2-0 week over Hampton and reigning Southern Conference champion Mercer. She scored 21 points against the Lady Pirates and followed it up with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Bears.
Casey earns her first MBWA selection after a tremendous week that saw her average 27.5 points and shoot 50 percent (11-22) from 3-point range. She netted a career-high 31 points and shot 7-for-11 from beyond the arc to catapult the Lions to a 25-point victory over Hampton – the team's largest against a Div. I opponent in 10 years. Casey went on to score a game-high 24 points, including 20 in the second half, to lead the Lions in a thrilling, 72-68, road victory over Mercer.
Casey's MBWA selection is the first for Columbia since Camille Zimmerman earned two during the 2016-17 season. Zimmerman was also USBWA National Player of the Week on Jan. 31 of that year. Casey and Durr were named Ivy League Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively, on Monday.
Columbia (4-9) returns to action next Saturday, Jan. 19, when it opens Ivy League season at Cornell (6-5).
2018-19 USBWA Women's Players of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 2: Christyn Williams, UConn (National); Dorka Juhász, Ohio State (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 9: Jenna Allen, Michigan State (National); Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 16: Alanna Smith, Stanford (National); Chrislyn Carr, Texas Tech (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 23: Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon (National); Rhyne Howard, Kentucky (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 30: Dionna White, Georgetown (National); Nia Clouden, Michigan State (Freshman)
• Week ending Jan. 6: Phoebe Sterba, Penn (National); Sienna Durr, Columbia (Freshman)
2018-19 MBWA Women's Players of the Week
Dec. 4, Curteeona Brelove, St. John's, and Shorty Johnson, Stony Brook, co-winners Div. I; Lauren Hunter, USMMA, Divs. II-III
Dec. 11, Madison Hovren, Army, Div. I; Lauren Hunter, USMMA, Divs. II-III
Dec. 18, Arella Guirantes, Rutgers and Alisha Kebbe, St. John's, Div. I; Meg Knollmeyer, NYIT, Divs. II-III).
Jan. 8, Riley Casey, Columbia, and Stella Johnson, Rider, co-winners Div. I; Marajiah Bacon, NJCU, Divs. II-III
Durr becomes the first player in Columbia women's basketball history to garner the USBWA's national rookie honors. The Iowa native out of Grinnell High School powered her way to 19.5 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 68 percent (17-25) from the field to help the Lions to a 2-0 week over Hampton and reigning Southern Conference champion Mercer. She scored 21 points against the Lady Pirates and followed it up with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds against the Bears.
Casey earns her first MBWA selection after a tremendous week that saw her average 27.5 points and shoot 50 percent (11-22) from 3-point range. She netted a career-high 31 points and shot 7-for-11 from beyond the arc to catapult the Lions to a 25-point victory over Hampton – the team's largest against a Div. I opponent in 10 years. Casey went on to score a game-high 24 points, including 20 in the second half, to lead the Lions in a thrilling, 72-68, road victory over Mercer.
Casey's MBWA selection is the first for Columbia since Camille Zimmerman earned two during the 2016-17 season. Zimmerman was also USBWA National Player of the Week on Jan. 31 of that year. Casey and Durr were named Ivy League Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively, on Monday.
Columbia (4-9) returns to action next Saturday, Jan. 19, when it opens Ivy League season at Cornell (6-5).
2018-19 USBWA Women's Players of the Week
• Week ending Dec. 2: Christyn Williams, UConn (National); Dorka Juhász, Ohio State (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 9: Jenna Allen, Michigan State (National); Taylor Sutton, Middle Tennessee (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 16: Alanna Smith, Stanford (National); Chrislyn Carr, Texas Tech (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 23: Sabrina Ionescu, Oregon (National); Rhyne Howard, Kentucky (Freshman)
• Week ending Dec. 30: Dionna White, Georgetown (National); Nia Clouden, Michigan State (Freshman)
• Week ending Jan. 6: Phoebe Sterba, Penn (National); Sienna Durr, Columbia (Freshman)
2018-19 MBWA Women's Players of the Week
Dec. 4, Curteeona Brelove, St. John's, and Shorty Johnson, Stony Brook, co-winners Div. I; Lauren Hunter, USMMA, Divs. II-III
Dec. 11, Madison Hovren, Army, Div. I; Lauren Hunter, USMMA, Divs. II-III
Dec. 18, Arella Guirantes, Rutgers and Alisha Kebbe, St. John's, Div. I; Meg Knollmeyer, NYIT, Divs. II-III).
Jan. 8, Riley Casey, Columbia, and Stella Johnson, Rider, co-winners Div. I; Marajiah Bacon, NJCU, Divs. II-III
Players Mentioned
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