Seattle University women’s basketball’s Sylvia Shephard (Alta Loma, Calif.) has been named the College Sports Madness Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week (Nov. 19-25). Shephard helped lead the team to a Washington Dental Service Thanksgiving Tournament championship over the weekend and was named the Tournament MVP.
“Sylvia has become an outstanding guard because of the extra work she puts in outside of practice,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “The improvement in her overall game sets her apart from other players her size. As Sylvia has improved, so has our team.”
Shephard led the team with 21 points, also recording eight rebounds, seven assists, and three steals in the team’s 63-61 win over Portland in the tournament semifinals on Nov. 23. She co-led the team with 20 points, adding nine rebounds, five assists, and three steals, in the championship game victory vs. Sacred Heart, 74-70. Seven assists in the first game marked a career high for Shephard.
Over the weekend, she averaged 20.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, six assists, and three steals per game. From the field, she shot 50.0 percent, as well as 71.4 percent from the free-throw line.
This was the team’s first championship in their annual thanksgiving tournament, as this is the third year of the tournament in this format.
Seattle U will play two more home games, hosting UC Irvine on Dec. 1 and Portland State on Dec. 9 before hitting the road for the remainder of their non-conference schedule. The Redhawks open their first season of WAC play at Idaho on Dec. 29.