Five-time freshman
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – For a record-tying fifth time, Arkansas Razorback women’s basketball player Ceira Ricketts was named the Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Week.
Ricketts earned her award Monday after guiding the Razorbacks to a 2-0 week in SEC play, defeating both South Carolina and Ole Miss. The wins move Arkansas to 15-11 overall and 4-7 in conference games. The Razorbacks are on a three-game winning streak and have moved from 11th to a tie for eighth place in this week’s standings.
By receiving her fifth freshman of the week award, Ricketts ties Tennessee’s Angie Bjorkland for the most weekly rookie awards in a single season. Bjorkland went on to be voted by the league’s coaches last season as the 2008 SEC Freshman of the Year.
For the week, Ricketts averaged 9.5 ppg, but handed out 4.5 assists per game including dishing the game-changing buckets of both wins. Ricketts was also Arkansas’ second leading rebounder in both games.
“Her winning the award this week shows both her versatility and that others are recognizing she’s much more than just the top scoring freshman in the SEC,” UA head coach Tom Collen said. “By winning her fifth award, she’s joining a very elite group not just in our league, but nationwide.”
Still the SEC’s top scoring freshman both on average (13.3 ppg) and total points scored (346), Ricketts also continues to lead the entire SEC in steals with 2.7 per game and is the top freshman assist-maker with 3.9 per game.
“We knew she would be a special player when we signed her, but we didn’t know how special until conference play started,” Collen said. “That’s the real test – how can you stack up against some of the best players in the country night in, night out.”
Of her five SEC Freshman of the Week Awards, four of them have come against league competition. Ricketts has earned her most recent awards in back-to-back weeks, first during weeks 10 and 11 of the league season, then taking last week (Week 13) and this week (Week 14).
The Razorbacks are on the road this Thursday at Florida, then host Alabama for Senior Day on Sunday.
