KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced a new Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week award winner for week eight of the 2025-26 season. Fort Hays State’s Brooke Loewe was named the MIAA Athlete of the Week for the Tigers’ fifth weekly honor of the season.
MIAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Brooke Loewe, Fort Hays State
Brooke Loewe averaged 16.0 assists, 10.0 points and 4.0 rebounds in a pair of road wins for the No. 6-ranked Tigers last week, capping off a run of four games in eight days. The senior guard opened the week with a record-setting 17 assists and eight points in Fort Hays State’s 84-73 win at Nebraska Kearney. She then added 15 assists, 12 points and five rebounds in the 82-64 win at Emporia State. Both assist totals are more than any other Division II student-athlete this season, while her program-record 17 assists are the most across all NCAA Divisions this season and are the most by any Division II player since 2023. Loewe is now averaging 11.1 assists per game this season and is the only individual across all NCAA basketball, male or female, to average in double figures in assists. The guard has totaled 11 or more assists eight times this season, while no other Division II competitor has more than three such performances.
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Reese Schaaf, Central Missouri
Reese Schaff averaged a double-double with 21.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game, helping the Jennies go 2-0 against MIAA opponents last week. She also added six assists, three steals and one block while shooting 56 percent from the field, 40 percent from three-point range, and went 13-of-15 at the free-throw line for 87 percent. In Central Missouri’s 66-61 win at Northwest Missouri last Wednesday (Jan. 7), Schaaf scored 25 points and pulled down 10 rebounds while going a perfect 10-of-10 at the free-throw line. In Saturday’s (Jan. 10) 58-55 triumph over the Griffons, she also netted 18 points and 11 boards for her team-best fifth double-double of the season.
Ashlyn Alloway, Missouri Southern
Ashlyn Alloway led the Lions offensively last week, averaging 22.5 points and 9.5 rebounds as Missouri Southern picked up MIAA wins over No. 11 Pittsburg State and Newman. The redshirt junior also shot 52 percent from the field and 94 percent from the charity stripe in the pair of victories. Alloway opened the week with a season-high and program-best 30 points in the 82-73 win over the ranked Gorillas to go along with seven boards. She was 10-for-16 from the field and a perfect 10-for-10 on free throws. Alloway concluded the week with her sixth double-double of the season, tallying 15 points and a season-best 12 rebounds in the 71-63 win versus Newman. She now has registered 900 career points (235 points at MSSU, 665 at Lincoln) after this week’s wins.
Yiibari Nwidadah, Washburn
Yiibari Nwidadah led Washburn with a double-double in week eight with 18.0 points and 13.5 rebounds per game while also shooting 66.7 percent (12-of-18) from the floor and 70.6 percent (12-of-17) at the line. Her 27 total boards led all MIAA players on the week.
ALSO NOMINATED:
Jillian Aschoff [Nebraska Kearney], Ana Oliveria Dias [Missouri Western], Nykaiya Dillard [Central Oklahoma], Harper Schreiner [Pittsburg State], Vanessa Coleman [Emporia State], Ataya Casaus [Rogers State], Reese Shirey [Northeastern State]
WEEK ONE: Talexa Weeter, Fort Hays State
WEEK TWO: Kaitlyn Sanders, Emporia State
WEEK THREE: Talexa Weeter, Fort Hays State
WEEK FOUR: Yiibari Nwidadah, Washburn
WEEK FIVE: Talexa Weeter, Fort Hays State
WEEK SIX: Jillian Aschoff, Nebraska Kearney
WEEK SEVEN: Talexa Weeter, Fort Hays State
WEEK EIGHT: Brooke Loewe, Fort Hays State