2021-2022 MIAA Women's Basketball Athletes of the Week: Week 1, Week 2, Week 3

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced its fourth MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week for the 2021-22 season.
 
MIAA Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week – Shiloh McCool – Nebraska Kearney  
Shilohh McCool has been named the MIAA Athlete of the Week for the first time this season. McCool posted back-to-back doubles as No. 21 Nebraska Kearney grinded out a pair of road wins this past week. The forward averaged 13.5 rebounds and 13.0 points per game while shooting 48 percent from the field. McCool finished with 15 points and 16 boards in the Lopers 49-43 MIAA opener win against Emporia State, then totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds in UNK’s 72-50 victory over the Ichabods. The four-year sophomore has now posted three straight double doubles. Her 60.8 field goal percentage currently ranks second in the league.
 
Notable Performances
Katie Wagner – Fort Hays State
Katie Wagner averaged a double-double in a pair of road wins over in-state rivals Washburn and Emporia State last week. The second-year freshman averaged 14.5 points, 10.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Wagner scored 11 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in FHSU’s 72-50 win at Washburn before totaling 18 points and 13 rebounds in the Tigers 70-65 victory against Emporia State, hitting 7-of-11 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line against ESU.
 
Connie Clark – Missouri Western
Connie Clark recorded her third double-double of the season with a game-high and career-best 21 points and 10 rebounds in the Griffon’s 83-58 win over Rogers State. The junior also added two assists, a block and a steal on the night. Clark also had three assists, two blocks and four steals to help Missouri Western extend its season-opening unbeaten streak to six against Northeastern State, adding eight points and seven rebounds in the win. Clark ranks third in the MIAA and 16th nationally with 11.5 rebounds per game. She also leads the league and ranked 18th nationally with 4.5 offensive rebounds per contest. With just six games played this season, Clark ranks fifth in the league with three double-doubles and 28th nationally in the category.
 
Nija Collier – Central Missouri
Nija Collier scored a career-high 31 points to help No. 25 Central Missouri defeat Lincoln 71-46 in the Jennies MIAA opener in Warrensburg. The senior forward netted her career-best 31 points on an impressive 14-of-18 shooting from the field, including a 2-for-2 performance from three-point range. She also totaled 11 rebounds in the contest for her team-best sixth double-double of 2021-22 season. Collier also added two steals, two assists and a blocked shot to her ledger in the contest.
 
Lacy Stokes – Missouri Southern
Lacy Stokes scored a Missouri Southern freshman record 33 points in the Lions 81-74 win to begin MIAA play. Stokes went 10-of-21 from the field, 11-of-17 from free throws while grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out five assists and had a steal while drawing 14 fouls against the Bronchos. Against Newman, she finished with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists and had three steals in the Lions 59-51 win. For the week, Stokes averaged 22.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
 
Kelsey Johnson – Central Oklahoma
Kelsey Johnson continued to lead Central Oklahoma in scoring as the Bronchos entered MIAA play this weekend. The senior forward averaged 21.0 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, posting her fifth and sixth double-doubles of the season and driving her streak to four-straight games with a double-double. Johnson registered 15 points and 10 rebounds in UCO’s loss to Missouri Southern before posting a 27-point, 14-rebound performance in a blowout win in Pittsburg.
 
Also Nominated
Erin Davis – Pittsburg State, Molly Hartnett – Northwest Missouri, Tre’Zure Jobe – Emporia State