Molina Named USBWA National Freshman Of The Week

January 11, 2017 | Women's Basketball

The Basketball Writers Association recognized Chanelle Molina as the top freshman in the country this week.

By: Athletic Communications

ST. LOUIS, MO. – Picking up her second award of the week, freshman Chanelle Molina was selected by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) as its Women's National Freshman of the Week for the week ending on Jan. 8. The USBWA's weekly honor will be handed out each Tuesday through mid-February. Molina is the first Cougar to earn the honor from the USBWA which began selecting a freshman of the week just three years ago. The award comes hot on the heels of Molina earning her second-consecutive Pac-12 Freshman of the Week award.

The young point guard started the weekend with a bang as the first-year point guard led the Cougars to their biggest upset in program history, knocking off No. 7 UCLA, 82-73, on Friday night. Molina put together a monster performance against the Bruins scoring 33 points on 13-of-20 shooting, scoring the most points against the Bruins since 2003. The 33 points tied a freshmen single-game record for the Cougars as Molina's epic night matched Lia Galdeira's freshmen record set against Minnesota in 2012. Additionally, her 33 points on the night tied for the 10th best scoring game in program history as she became just the third freshman ever to reach the 30-point threshold.

With one epic performance under her belt, Molina came back two days later and led the Cougars to a decisive, 74-57, win over USC on Sunday afternoon. The win over the Trojans gave WSU its first sweep of the Pac-12's LA schools since the start of the conference campaign in the 1994-95 season. Against the Trojans, Molina scored 16 points, 14 coming in the second half, while going 6-for-7 from the floor including hitting all five of her second half shots.

On the weekend, Molina averaged a cool 24.5 points per game while shooting an astounding 70.4% from the floor, a mark rarely seen for a jump-shooter. She finished the weekend with a 10-4 assist-turnover mark including dishing out a career-best seven assists against the Bruins.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 900 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected a women's All-America team since the 1996-97 season. For more information on the USBWA and its award programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at 314-795-6821.