Nikki Velez Lands National Player Of The Week Honor

MEDIA, Pa. -- Penn State Brandywine freshman Nikki Velez (Gloucester, N.J./Gloucester City) was named Division II Player of the Week by the United States Collegiate Athletic Association on Tuesday. She also earned Penn State University Athletic Conference Player of the Week honors after averaging 19.0 points, 4.0 steals and 3.0 assists during a pair of Brandywine victories in the last week.

Five days after setting a career high with 23 points in a 53-51, overtime victory against Cincinnati-Clermont, Velez eclipsed that mark by pouring in 26 points during Brandywine's come-from-behind, 63-62 triumph over Widener on Wednesday. Brandywine trailed the Pride by 14 points with under 10 minutes to play, but Velez drained a pair of three-pointers during a 12-0 Lions' run and netted 10 points overall during the final nine minutes to lead Brandywine to its first-ever victory against Widener.

Velez added 12 points and five rebounds in just 16 minutes of action during a blowout win at Vaughn College on Monday night, the Lions' sixth-straight triumph.

The 15th-leading scorer nationally, Velez ranks second among PSUAC freshmen in scoring and fourth overall, averaging 16.2 points per game. She also stands 16th in the USCAA in steals per game (3.2). Since being inserted into the starting lineup on Dec. 9, Velez has scored over 20 points on three occasions and Brandywine has won all five of its games.

Brandywine (9-4) opens a three-game homestand against PSUAC foes on Friday at 6:00 pm when it faces Penn State DuBois.