SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Appalachian State’s Maryah Sydnor has been named the Southern Conference Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, while Samford’s Hannah Nichols was selected as the CRONS Freshman of the Week for the week of Jan. 21, the league office announced Tuesday.

Sydnor earns Player of the Week honors after averaging 21.5 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Mountaineers last week. She scored 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds in Appalachian State’s loss to Elon on Friday. Sydnor then scored 27 points to lead the Mountaineers to a 75-56 win over UNCG on Sunday, hitting 12-of-21 shot attempts and posting three blocks in the victory. Sydnor currently leads the SoCon in scoring, averaging 20.4 points per game this season, and has scored in double figures in all 17 games this season.

Nichols receives her second CRONS Freshman of the Week award of the season after leading Samford to a pair of wins over the weekend. She scored a team-high 12 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 59-58 win over Furman on Saturday to give Samford its second conference win of the year. Nichols then dropped a career-high 20 points and hauled in five rebounds in a 64-52 Bulldog win over Wofford on Monday. She finished the week shooting 52.4 percent on 11-of-21 shooting from the field and hit 8-of-12 3-pointers.

Also nominated for Player of the Week were Davidson’s Hannah Early, Elon’s Sam Coffer, Georgia Southern’s Anna Claire Knight, Samford’s Hannah Nichols and Western Carolina’s Rena Wakama.

Also nominated for CRONS Freshman of the Week were Elon’s Lenaira Ruffin, Georgia Southern’s Angel McGowan and Western Carolina’s Alexis Carter.

2013-14 Women’s Basketball Player of the Week
Nov. 12: Taylor Hall, Chattanooga
Nov. 19: Taylor Hall, Chattanooga
Nov. 26: Janae’ Stevenson, UNCG
Dec. 3: Laura Murray, Davidson
Dec. 10: Laura Murray, Davidson
Dec. 17: Ashlen Dewart, Chattanooga
Dec. 31: Brittany Hodges, Furman
Jan. 7: Anna Claire Knight, Georgia Southern
Jan. 14: Dakota Dukes, Davidson
Jan. 21: Maryah Sydnor, Appalachian State

2013-14 CRONS Freshman of the Week
Nov. 12: Ellen Riggins, Samford
Nov. 19: Jennifer Rhodes, Elon
Nov. 26: Lauren Brown, Elon
Dec. 3: Ellen Riggins, Samford
Dec. 10: Lenaira Ruffin, Elon
Dec. 17: Whitney Bunn, Furman
Dec. 31: Jennifer Rhodes, Elon
Jan. 7: Hannah Nichols, Samford
Jan. 14: Whitney Bunn, Furman
Jan.21: Hannah Nichols, Samford