Altoona’s Avana Sayles earns AMCC Athlete of the Week honors

LATROBE, Pa. - Penn State Altoona forward Avana Sayles, of Venetia, was chosen as the Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference's Athlete of the Week in women's basketball, the league office announced on Monday, Jan. 12.

In a road victory against Hilbert, Sayles notched her seventh double-double of the season, scoring 19 points and grabbing 16 boards, both of which were game highs. In the win, Sayles also had two assists and two blocks.

Sayles followed up that performance with her eighth double-double of the season as Penn State Altoona women's basketball beat Alfred State 77-57. In the home win over the Pioneers, Sayles scored a team-high 17 points and had a game-high 18 rebounds, while adding one assist, two steals and one block.

During the week, Sayles averaged 18.0 points per game, 17.0 rebounds per game, 1.5 blocks per game, 1.5 assists per game, and 1.0 steal per game.

In the AMCC, Sayles ranks third in points per game with 16.3, second in rebounds per game with 10.6, ninth in steals per game with 2.1, and third in blocks per game with 1.4.

This is Sayles' third AMCC Player of the Week award this season and the sixth of her collegiate career.

Penn State Altoona women's basketball is 8-5 overall and 3-1 in the AMCC so far this season. The Lions will play at home on Jan. 14 when they face AMCC opponent Carlow. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m.