STANDISH, Maine – Weekly accolades have been released and Saint Joseph's College sophomore forward Emily Benway (Rochester, N.H.) has been selected as the New England Women's Basketball Association (NEWBA), Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC), and Maine Women's Basketball Coaches Association (MWBCA) Player of the Week.
Benway averaged 20.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 64.3% (18-28 FG) from the field in a 2-0 week for the Monks, who beat a pair of NESCAC teams. The sophomore forward netted a career- high 26 points with 13 boards and three steals in a 58-47 win over Colby on Saturday. Earlier in the week, she had 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting with six rebounds in a 71-66 win over Bates.
Benway, who missed three games to start the season with an injury, is currently averaging 16.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per contest while shooting 59.4% (38-64) from the field through five games played this winter. She currently leads the Monks in scoring, rebounding, and shooting percentage and ranks second in the conference in shooting rate, fifth in rebounding, and eighth in scoring. Benway is also second in the GNAC in points per 40 minutes average with 25.1.
The second-year starting forward is just the second Saint Joseph's player in the last 13 seasons to be selected as the NEWBA Player of the Week. Former teammate Morgan Cahill '16 was the first to earn the regional weekly accolade – almost exactly a year ago to the day (12/14/16).
Saint Joseph's (7-1, 2-0 GNAC) is off until Friday, December 30th when the team plays at Southeastern University during a trip to Florida. The contest is slated for a 1:00 PM tip-off.
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Saint Joseph's College is Maine's only Catholic liberal arts college, providing a supportive, personalized and career-focused education for more than 100 years. From its 474-acre campus on the shores of Sebago Lake, the College offers more than 40 undergraduate programs to a population of approximately 1,000 students. Saint Joseph's College Online provides certificates, undergraduate and advanced degrees for working adults through an online learning program. For more, visit www.sjcme.edu.
