Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell's Zehner Makes History as Patriot League Anaconda Player, Rookie of the Week
11/21/2011 7:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Nov. 21, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Following back-to-back 20-point performances, Bucknell women's basketball's Amy Zehner (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua Area) was named the Patriot League Anaconda Player and Rookie of the Week on Monday. It is the first time in league history that the same player has been awarded both honors in the same week. Zehner closed out the voting period with a 22.5 scoring average to go along with 3.0 rebounds, 3.0 steals, 3.0 blocks and 2.5 assists per game.
In addition to being the first player in league history to be named both Player and Rookie of the Week at the same time, Zehner is also the first Bison to earn a Player of the Week citation since Trisha Krewson on Jan. 4, 2010. Bucknell's last Rookie of the Week was Shelby Romine (Centreville, Va./Westfield), who earned the honor six times last winter.
Zehner's honor came in part thanks to a strong all-around performance against Youngstown State on Wednesday. The guard finished with a career-best 25 points on 12-for-23 shooting. She also recorded personal highs in assists (4), steals (3) and blocked shots (6). Her six blocked shots is tied for sixth at Bucknell on the single-game list.
With 12 made field goals, Zehner becomes the first Bison since Desire Almind to hit at least a dozen shots in a single game. Almind's performance came on Jan. 6, 2004 when she helped Bucknell defeat Iona 86-76 by shooting 12-for-16.
Zehner followed her outing against the Penguins with a second straight 20-point performance at Buffalo. She opened the game by scoring all of the team's first eight points and ultimately finished with 20 on 9-for-21 shooting. Through the latest two games, Zehner shot an impressive .477 (21-for-44) from the field. She tied her career high with three steals as well and dished out one assist in 35 minutes of play.
Zehner is the eighth Bison freshman in program history to score at least 20 points in back-to-back games. She joins Romine, Lindsey Hollobaugh, Desire Almind, Molly Creamer, Vicki Quimby, Jennifer Walz and Jane Meyer in the elite club.
Although still early in her career, Zehner has proved to be a key member of the Bison squad. In her collegiate debut against Saint Peter's on Nov. 11, she recorded her first career double-double, tallying 10 points and 10 rebounds against the Peahens and helping Bucknell to a 46-35 win at Sojka Pavilion. She has scored in double figures in three of her first four contests in the Orange and Blue.
Through the first four games of the season, Zehner leads Bucknell in scoring with 14.8 points per game and in blocked shots with 10. She is also second among Bison in steals (8), rebounds (5.5) and minutes played (35.0), and third in assists (6). She has been among Bucknell's starting five in each contest.
Weekly honors from the Patriot League are determined by a vote of the schools' sports information directors, who cannot vote for their own athletes, and select members of the media. The awards are the first of Zehner's Bucknell career.
Zehner and her teammates will be back in action tomorrow when they host Morgan State at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion.
