Feb. 25, 2013
BRONX, N.Y. -
Continuing a stellar stretch for the Fordham women's basketball program, Marah Strickland (Mt.Airy, Md./South Carolina) and Samantha Clark (Neptune, N.J./St. Rose) have been named the Atlantic 10 Co-Player of the Week and Rookie of the Week, respectively. Strickland's Co-Player of the Week is the first such award won by a Ram this season and Clark's Rookie of the Week nod marks the fifth time this year that Clark has garnered the accolade, the most of any player in the conference.
Strickland put up the best performance by a Fordham player in years on Sunday in a crucial game against Saint Joe's. The graduate student poured in a career-high 31 points on 9-17 shooting, including 4-8 from deep, and grabbed six boards in the overtime victory. After exploding for 17 points in the first half, Strickland scored nine of Fordham's 12 points in the extra period, including a 7-8 effort from the line. On the game, Strickland made nine of her ten attempts from the charity stripe.
Strickland's 31 points on Sunday were the most scored by a Fordham player since Meghan Mahoney scored 30 in January of 2008, and the Mt. Airy, Md., native chipped in 14 points in Fordham's win over Rhode Island on Thursday.
Clark takes home her fifth Rookie of the Week Award after putting up two outstanding performances against Saint Joe's and Rhode Island. Against the Rams, Clark grabbed 11 boards and scored seven points to help Fordham emerge victorious in the Battle of the Rams. Then, going up against the established frontcourt of Saint Joe's on Sunday, Clark turned in what was arguably her best performance of the year, netting ten points and pulling down 11 rebounds, securing her fourth double-double of the season.
The awards cap an important week for the Rams, as the team reached 20 victories for the first time in 19 years with Sunday's win over Saint Joseph's. The win also gave Fordham sole possession of third place in the Atlantic 10 standings.
Chatilla Van Grinsven of Saint Joseph's shared Co-Player of the Week honors with Strickland. The Hawks forward scored a team-high 26 points and grabbed a game-high 13 boards in the loss to Fordham on Sunday. She also had 16 points and 15 rebounds against La Salle on Wednesday.
The Fordham Rams are back in action on Wednesday night in the Rose Hill Gym, when they take on Saint Bonaventure at 7 PM.
