North Dakota State guard Dani DeGagne and Western Illinois forward Ashley Luke were named The Summit League's Women's Basketball Players of the Week for their performances Feb. 18-24.

Courtesy: Bob Nelson

Dani DeGagne Named The Summit League Women's Basketball Co-Player of the Week

Courtesy: NDSU Athletic Media Relations
Release: February 25, 2013

ELMHURST, Ill. – North Dakota State guard Dani DeGagne and Western Illinois forward Ashley Luke were named The Summit League's Women's Basketball Players of the Week for their performances Feb. 18-24. DeGagne earns NDSU's first Player of the Week honor since the 2011 season.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Dani DeGagne, North Dakota State, 5-10, Sr. G, Brandon, Manitoba (Crocus Plains Regional)--DeGagne earns her first career Player of the Week award after guiding North Dakota State to a league win over Omaha last week. The senior guard recorded a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds. She missed out on a triple-double by three assists as she dished out a career-high seven in the game. She also added one block and one steal and shot 44 percent (7-of-16) from the field, 50 percent (1-of-2) from behind the arc and 75 percent (3-of-4) at the free throw line. The double-double was her third of the season and fourth in her Bison career.

Ashley Luke, Western Illinois, 6-1, Fr., F, Oak Creek, Wis. (Oak Creek)--Luke captures her second-straight Player of the Week award after leading Western Illinois to a 1-1 league record last week. In a game that was pushed back a day due to a snowstorm in Kansas City, Luke scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds with two assists, two blocks and two steals in the win over the Kangaroos. A day later, she tallied another double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds at South Dakota. She also tied a career-high with three blocks against the Coyotes. For the week, Luke averaged 18 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals per contest. She also shot 56 percent (14-of-25) from the field and 89 percent (8-of-9) at the line. The 25-point win at Kansas City was the largest road league win for the Leathernecks since the 2007-08 season.

Also nominated: Amanda Hyde, Fort Wayne; DeAirra Goss, IUPUI; Eilise O’Connor, Kansas City; Elena Popkey, Oakland; Paige Frauendorfer, Omaha; Tempestt Wilson, South Dakota; Hannah Strop, South Dakota State.

Previous honorees: 11/12 – Nicole Seekamp, USD; 11/19 – Paige Frauendorfer, UNO; 11/26 – Kim Nezianya, UMKC; 12/3 – Amanda Hyde, IPFW/Eilise O’Connor, UMKC; 12/10 – Kerah Nelson, IUPUI/Megan Waytashek, SDSU; 12/17 – Emile Blakesley, UMKC; 12/24 – Ashley Eide, SDSU; 12/31 – Amanda Hyde, IPFW; 1/7 – Paige Frauendorfer, UNO; 1/14 – Megan Waytashek, SDSU; 1/21 – Eilise O’Connor, UMKC; 1/28 – Eilise O’Connor, UMKC/Paige Frauendorfer, UNO; 2/4 – Megan Waytashek, SDSU; 2/11 – Katie Lingle, SDSU; 2/18 – Ashley Luke, WIU.

ABOUT SUMMIT LEAGUE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL

Entering its fourth decade of Division I athletics, The Summit League features women's basketball teams from nine member institutions: Fort Wayne, IUPUI, Kansas City, North Dakota State, Oakland, Omaha, South Dakota, South Dakota State and Western Illinois. Known as the Mid-Continent Conference until 2007, The Summit League enjoyed unprecedented success during a 2011-12 campaign that included a record-high tournament attendance, the most teams in postseason tournaments, new career points and 3-point leaders and a league record two Academic All-Americans. For more information about the league and to "See The Summit", visit www.thesummitleague.org and follow Summit League Basketball on Twitter @summithoops.