Tuesday, December 5, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. – Hours after his team was honored as the NABC Division II National Team of the Week, Western Washington junior guard Trey Drechsel has been named by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) as its Division II National Player of the Week.

Drechsel averaged 26.5 points and 13.5 rebounds per game to lead Western Washington to a pair of home victories to open the conference season. The Vikings beat Concordia 99-72 on Thursday and handed Western Oregon its first loss of the season, 85-58, on Saturday.

Drechsel, who was also named the GNAC Men’s Basketball Player of the Week, averaged 26.5 points and 13.5 rebounds in the two victories. He finished shooting 64.5 percent from the field. Drechsel opened the week by scoring a season-high 32 points and 17 rebounds on Thursday. He shot 12 of 17 from the field and 4 of 7 from three-point range. Drechsel then led WWU with 21 points and 10 rebounds against the Wolves, connecting on 8 of 14 from the field. In the two contests, Drechsel played all but two minutes.

Drechsel, a Preseason All-GNAC selection and an Honorable Mention All-GNAC selection in 2016-17, enters the week averaging 12.7 points per game. His 4.43 assists per game ranks third in the GNAC.

The selection comes in a week where GNAC players swept the USBWA’s Division II awards. Montana State Billings’ Alisha Breen was named the organziation’s Women’s National Player of the Week.

Drechsel and the rest of the Vikings will finish a season-opening eight-game home stand on Dec. 12 when they host Cal State East Bay.