Walker earns third MIAA Player of the Week honors this season

Feb. 25, 2002

Crystal Walker, a 6-foot junior forward from Osawatomie, Kan., was named MIAA Player of the Week Monday, averaging 21 points and six rebounds rebounds a game to help the Lady Blues top two in-state rivals on the road last week. The wins helped Washburn secure a 20-win season for the first time since 1994-95.

She scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds in WashburnÍs 79-70 victory at Emporia State, dropping 13 points on the Lady Hornets in the second half. She was 8-of-19 from the field and 5-of-5 at the foul line, helping Washburn snap a four-game losing skid vs. ESU at White Auditorium.

Walker followed with another 21 point and six rebound effort to help Washburn win 70-55 at Pittsburg State Saturday night. She scored 15 points in the second half to finish 9-of-17 from the field and 3-of-4 at the foul line, while moving into 21st on WashburnÍs all-time scoring list with 726 points.

With the win Washburn extended its winning streak to eight games, which is its longest since the 1993-94 season. The Lady Blues also finished a sweep over Emporia State and Pittsburg State in the same season for the first time since 1992-93.

The honor was the third MIAA Player of the Week award for Walker this season. She won the MIAA Player of the Week award on Nov. 27, 2001 after earning UNK Thanksgiving Classic MVP honors and Jan. 28, 2001 after Washburn swept Emporia State and Pittsburg State at home.

Walker is also the first Lady Blue to win MIAA Player of the Week honors three times in one season. Laura Mueller (1990-91), Shelley Foster (1992-93) and Jennifer Butcher (1999-2000) each received MIAA Player of the Week honors twice in a season. Brenda Shaffer-Dahl received MIAA Offensive Player of the Week (*Both Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors awarded) honors in three weeks during the 1989-90 season.