Purdue's Rayburn is National Player of the Week

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has selected Purdue guard Brittany Rayburn as its Women's National Player of the Week for games ending the week of Sunday, January 15. The USBWA's weekly honor will be handed out each Tuesday through February 21 this season.

As the Big Ten Conference Player of the Week, Rayburn was nominated for the weekly award, which was chosen by a representative of the USBWA board of directors from a list of Division I conference players of the week.

Rayburn, a 6'0" senior from Attica, IN, tied an NCAA record with 12 three-pointers in a 72-55 win at Minnesota followed by a 57-55 win over Iowa at home with 14 points and a game-saving block at the finish.

She is the Boilermakers' leading scorer with a 15.1 average and is shooting 40.9 percent from three-point range, helping Purdue (15-3, 5-0 Big Ten) to the top spot in the Big Ten standings.

This is the first season that the USBWA has selected a women's national player of the week. The weekly national player of the week is added to the award's watch list, which will be released at mid-season.

Since the 1987-88 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership of the USBWA. The winner of the 2012 National Player of the Year will be announced and presented at the USBWA's annual awards breakfast in Denver, site of the 2012 NCAA Women's Final Four.


2011-12 USBWA Women's National Players of the Week
• Week of Dec. 11: A'dia Mathies, Kentucky
• Week of Dec. 18: Brittney Griner, Baylor
• Week of Dec. 25: Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Stanford
• Week of Jan. 1: Sugar Rodgers, Georgetown
• Week of Jan. 8: Elena Delle Donne, Delaware
• Week of Jan. 15: Brittany Rayburn, Purdue