Mars Hill’s Jessica Blanford Named Women’s Basketball Player Of The Week

ROCK HILL, S.C. - Mars Hill College's Jessica Blanford has been named the South Atlantic Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, it was announced by league officials today. Blanford receives the award for the first time in her career and is the first recipient of the 2007-08 season.

Blanford, a junior guard from Concord, N.C., averaged 21 points and six rebounds per game to lead Mars Hill to a 2-0 start this season. The preseason second-team all-conference selection shot 70.8 percent (17-of-24) from the floor as the Lions claimed wins in both of their games as the hosts of the Carolina First Mars Hill Classic.

In MHC's 93-58 win over Erskine on Friday, Blanford led all scorers with 25 points, including a 4-for-4 performance from behind the arc. She also grabbed eight rebounds, five of which came on the offensive end of the floor.

The Lions defeated Converse, 79-54, on Saturday in a game that saw Blanford score 17 points and grab four boards. She was the tournament's leading scorer and second-highest rebounder.

The South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week is determined by a vote of the sports information directors of the league.