CORTLAND, N.Y. - The State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) selects New Paltz's Maddie Van pelt (Montgomery, N.Y.) as this week's PrestoSports Women's Basketball Athlete of the Week.
Van Pelt was crucial in all three games this week for the Hawks. She started the week with 20 points in a win over Cortland Tuesday where she shot 7-of-12 from the field and hit a huge 3-pointer later that got her team back in the game to eventual secure the, 74-68 win in overtime, while also adding a team-high five steals in the game. Against Plattsburgh, the senior totaled game-high's in points (15), rebounds (7) and field goals made (6), while shooting an efficient 6-for-11 from the field and adding three assists and three steals in just 26 minutes to lead her team to a 73-45 victory over the Cardinals. Van Pelt concluded the weekend with another impressive performance, needing just 18 minutes to score 19 points, while shooting 50 percent from the field, including 3-for-4 from 3-point range. She also pulled down four rebounds and added a team-high four assists and two steals in a dominating, 78-55 win against Potsdam to end the regular season as the No. 1 seed. The victory also officially made Van Pelt and her fellow seniors (Marion Dietz, Paige Niemeyer and Philesha Teape) the program's all-time win leaders, notching 84 career wins.