Bucknell University Athletics
Kesha Champion Named Patriot League Rookie of the Week
2/28/2005 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Feb. 28, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Freshman Kesha Champion became the third different Bucknell women's basketball player to be honored by the Patriot League this season when she was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week Monday. The 5-7 guard joined classmates Hope Foster, who won the same award Dec. 28, and Kristina Collymore, who copped rookie honors last week, as the only trio of teammates selected this season.
Champion, who is one of two Bison, along with Lindsey Hollobaugh, to start every game this season, tallied double figures in points in both games last week. It was just the second time this season she scored at least 10 points in back-to-back contests. In the opening game of the week, a 72-71 last-second win over Holy Cross at home, Champion scored 12 points and grabbed a career-high tying seven rebounds, including a career-high five on the offensive end. She also tallied three assists and recorded three steals as the Bison upended the first-place Crusaders for the third time in four meetings.
The second game of the week, an 84-66 loss to Colgate in the final contest of the regular season, featured more of the same from the Chesapeake, Va., native. Champion tallied 10 points and chased down six more rebounds, with five more coming on the offensive end.
While playing 67 minutes in the two games, Champion accounted for 22 points, 13 rebounds, four assists and three steals.
For the season, Champion is fifth on the team in scoring at 6.7 points per game. She is also fifth in rebounding at 3.3 per game. Her 36 steals are tied for third on the squad with Collymore, while she has dished out 41 assists in 24.3 minutes per game.
Bucknell, which completed the regular season 10-17 overall, 4-10 in the Patriot League, is the seventh seed in the upcoming Patriot League Tournament. The Bison will face No. 2 and host Lehigh at 8 p.m. Thursday, March 3. The Mountain Hawks swept the season series from Bucknell this year. Army and Colgate, which open the night of basketball, will play at 5:30 p.m. on the Stabler Arena floor.
