Wednesday, December 21, 2022

PORTLAND, Ore. – Thanks to her record scoring performance against Walla Walla on Monday and a pair of solid shooting performances in two non-conference wins, Central Washington sophomore guard Valerie “Sunshine” Huerta has been named the Division II Conference Information Directors Association’s Women’s Basketball Player of the Week.

The award marks the second time this season that Huerta has achieved the honor. She is the first player this season, male or female, to be named the Division II Player of the Week twice this season.

In Monday’s 92-44 win over Walla Walla, Huerta set the GNAC single-game record with 46 points, breaking the previous record of 45 set by Leada Bankey of Western Oregon against Central Washington on Feb. 21, 2008. Huerta also made 18 field goals on 29 attempts, surpassing the previous record of 16 made set by Bankey in that CWU game and equaled by Simon Fraser’s Nayo Raincock-Ekunwe against Northwest Nazarene on Feb. 18, 2012. Huerta went 4 of 7 from three-point range and 6 of 7 from the free-throw line in the record effort.

In Friday’s 79-52 win over Whitman, Huerta finished with 24 points in 32 minutes of action, making 7 of 19 from the field, 3 of 7 from three-point range and 7 of 7 from the free-throw line.

For the week, Huerta averaged an astonishing 35 points per game, making 52.1% from the field, 57.1% from three-point range and 92.9% from the free-throw line.

The 46-point effort is the second most scored in Division II this season, behind a 46-point performance by Shippensburg’s Ariel Jones against Mercyhurst on Sunday.

For the season, Huerta is tied for 29th in Division II with teammate Samantha Bowman in scoring, averaging 19 points per game. She also ranks 30th in Division II with 77 total field goals made.

With a 10-1 overall record, Central Washington enters the holiday break ranked No. 16 in the Division II Sports Information Directors Association Media Poll and No. 22 in the WBCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. The Wildcats return to action on Dec. 29 at Montana State Billings.