From Case Western Reserve University Athletics
Case Western Reserve University junior forward Kara Hageman was named the Division III Female National Player of the Week by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA), after averaging 34.5 points over two games, and setting a school record with 41 points against 11th-ranked Washington University (Mo.) on Sunday.
Hageman, the first Spartan ever to win the USBWA's weekly honor, became the first Case Western Reserve women's player to score 40 or more points in a game during the team's 92-79 loss to Washington on Sunday afternoon to top the previous program record of 38 points in a game, recorded by Evy Iacono against Carnegie Mellon University during the 2012-13 season. She was just the second player in conference history to break 40 points in a UAA game, and she set program and conference records for field goals in a game, shooting 16-of-21 from the field and three-of-four from three-point range. Hageman added five rebounds, two assists and a steal during the game.
Earlier in the week, she helped lead the Spartans to an 80-78 win over the University of Chicago, scoring 28 points to match her career-high entering the game. Hageman shot nine-for-15 from the field in the game, draining a career-best four three-pointers on six attempts, while collecting six rebounds, three assists and a block. Over her two games last week, she averaged 34.5 points and 5.5 rebounds, while shooting 69.4% from the field and 70.0% from behind the three-point line.
Hageman is averaging a team-leading 20.7 points per game with 6.4 rebounds per contest, and is shooting 52.9% from the floor. It marked the first time over her career that Hageman, an All-UAA Honorable Mention last season, received each award.
Hageman and the Spartans stand at 11-7 on the season, including a 3-4 mark in conference play. Case Western Reserve will be back in action with a pair of road games this weekend, starting with a Friday night matchup at the University of Chicago, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Each Tuesday, the USBWA is selects men's and women's Division III National Players of the Week. This is the third season that the USBWA has recognized national players of the week from Division III.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season.