PacWest Conference Weekly Awards (Dec. 23)

IRVINE, Calif. – Making key contributions in a starting role for ART U women's basketball across the Urban Knights' three-game week, forward Aari'yanna Sanders was named Pacific West Conference Freshman of the Week. The award is based on games played between Dec. 16-22.

Starting the week at Central Washington on Dec. 17, Sanders grabbed five rebounds while scoring four points and dishing out one assist. She then finished 2-for-2 from the field with four points, six rebounds, one block, and one steal, in a Dec. 19 matchup with Seattle Pacific. The Animation & Visual Effects major would save her best for last, however, as she posted a pair of season-bests to compose her first collegiate double-double with 12 points (on an efficient 4-for-7 shooting from the floor) and 11 rebounds in a PacWest victory over Notre Dame de Namur on Dec. 21. Beyond the one steal and one assist she added in that contest, Sanders also drew a game-high six fouls including a pair of charges and ended with a +21 in the plus-minus category.

By the week's end, Sanders had shot 61.5 percent from the field (8-for-13) while averaging 6.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. On the season, she now ranks 20th in the PacWest in rebounds per game (6.0) and is the lone freshman among that list.

This is the first PacWest weekly award for Sanders in her career.