INDIANAPOLIS – The Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) announced its week 13 Athletic Solutions Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Tuesday morning. Drury's Sara Mendel earned her honor for the third time this season.
 
Mendel, the junior from Ava, Mo., led the Lady Panthers last week in two games with 18 points per game on 70 percent shooting from the field and 11 rebounds per game. She recorded her 17th and 18th double-doubles of the season. Against William Jewell, Mendel went for 22 points and 10 rebounds, which was her third straight 20-point double-double. She has now recorded six straight double-doubles.
 
Nationally, Mendel ranks second in double-doubles (18), second in field goal percentage (67.4), 13th in total rebounds (248), 14th in rebounds per game (10.3), and 21st in defensive rebounds per game (7.1).
 
Mendel currently is tied for the most single-season double-doubles in program history with Reese Schaaf, 2023-24 season, and is ninth in career rebounds at Drury with 582.
 
UMSL's Mara Rieder is the only other player to win the award more than Mendel this season. Rieder has earned the distinction four times, none since January 5.
 
The Lady Panthers posted a 2-0 record last week with an 82-52 win over Jewell and an 85-53 win over Rockhurst, both on the road.
 
Drury looks for their tenth consecutive win on Thursday against rival Southwest Baptist in the O'Reilly Family Event Center with the tip at 5:45 pm.
 
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