KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association announced a new Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Week award winner for week ten of the 2025-26 season. Fort Hays State’s Talexa Weeter was named the MIAA Athlete of the Week for her fifth weekly honor this season.
MIAA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK: Talexa Weeter, Fort Hays State
Talexa Weeter had another big week for the No. 5-ranked Tigers, averaging a double-double with 26.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in wins over Rogers State and Central Oklahoma. Weeter reached 1,000 career points in the win over Rogers State last Thursday (Jan. 22), doing so in her 62nd game to become the second-fastest Tiger in FHSU history to reach that milestone. The Goodland, Kan. native opened the week with 23 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in the 73-46 win over the Hillcats before knocking down five three-pointers and totaling 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks in Saturday’s 78-65 win against the Bronchos. For the week, the junior hit 60 percent from behind the arc (6-of-10) and knocked down 12-of-13 from the free-throw line (92.3 percent). Weeter continues to lead the country in scoring (27.9 points per game) while ranking second in the league in rebounding (9.1 rebounds per game).
NOTABLE PERFORMANCES:
Reese Schaaf, Central Missouri
Reese Schaaf averaged a double-double with 23.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game while shooting 62 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 75 percent at the free-throw line in the Jennies two victories last week. The senior scored 22 points while snagging 10 boards in Wednesday’s 80-71 win against MoWest, shooting 67 percent from the field, 50 percent from beyond-the-arc, and going 9-of-10 at the foul line for 90 percent. She also added three steals in the game. On Friday (Jan. 23) against Northwest Missouri, Schaaf posted 25 points while pulling down 10 rebounds for her seventh consecutive and ninth double-double of the season. She landed 59 percent from the field, 50 percent from three-point range and 50 percent at the free-throw line.
Gracie Gilpin, Emporia State
Gracie Gilpin averaged 20 points and hit 52.9 percent of her three-pointers last week as the Hornets went 1-1 in league play. The senior had a career high 31 points and hit 7-of-10 three-pointers in Emporia State's 77-71 win at Arkansas-Fort Smith. She became the first Lady Hornet to score 30 points in a game since Tre'Zure Jobe scored 30 against Washburn on Feb. 25, 2023. Gilpin’s seven made three-pointers moved her into sixth on the Lady Hornet career list with 201 made threes. She is the only three-year Lady Hornet with at least 200 made three-pointers. She was also the Hornets leading scorer in their six-point loss at Northeastern State.
Payton Sterk, Washburn
Payton Sterk led the Ichabod offense to a pair of home victories last week, scoring 19.0 points per game on 51.8 percent shooting from the floor overall and 41.7 percent from deep with five connections. The senior also added four rebounds and a steal. In the 71-55 win over Missouri Western, she scored a season-high 22 points, including 20 in the first half while shooting 7-of-14 from the floor overall and 4-of-8 from deep.
ALSO NOMINATED:
Jillian Aschoff [Nebraska Kearney], Gabrielle Tilley [Northeastern State], Nykaiya Dillard [Central Oklahoma], Ella Hafer [Rogers 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
WEEK NINE: Mia Morel, Missouri Western
WEEK TEN: Talexa Weeter, Fort Hays State