Mon., Jan. 25, 2010

FORT WAYNE, Ind. – University of Saint Francis guard Bessie Jenkins has been selected Mid-Central College Conference Player of the Week after she led the Lady Cougars to a pair of wins and up to second place in the MCC.

Jenkins, a senior and a graduate of Wayne High School, averaged 17 points, shot .667 of 12-for-18 shooting overall, shot .429 from 3-point range hitting 3-of-7 and .875 from the free-throw line on 7-for-8 shooting. She scored 16 points to help the Lady Cougars upset 15th-ranked Bethel College on Wednesday night despite bruising her knee late in regulation. She stole the ball and scored to put USF ahead for good against BC in overtime.

Despite the bothersome injury, Jenkins decided to play against Taylor on Saturday and scored 18 points in just under 13 minutes to lead USF to its fourth straight win. She scored 13 in the first half to help USF to a double-digit lead by the end of the first half.

This is the first time Jenkins has been named player of the week for the Lady Cougars and the first time a member of the Lady Cougars has been named this season.

USF swept conference honors this week with USF guard Qadr Owens’ selection on the men’s side.