GLIAC -- The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) has announced its weekly awards following the opening week of the 2024-25 women's basketball season. Purdue Northwest senior guard Akyia Baker was chosen as GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week while Ferris State junior guard Mia Riley received GLIAC Defensive Player of the Week recognition.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Akyia Baker, Purdue Northwest
Senior guard Akyia Baker lit up the scoreboard this past weekend to give the Pride a 2-0 start to the season. She finished her stellar weekend averaging 23.5 points per game, which currently leads the GLIAC, 4.5 rebounds per game, and had ten assists. She ended shooting 47.5% from the field as well as going 33% from the three-point line. In an 84-71 win over Tiffin on Saturday, she scored a game-high 26 points going 5-of-10 from the arc, notching seven rebounds, and dished out six assists to help earn Purdue Northwest the big win during the GLIAC/GLVC Crossover.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Mia Riley, Ferris State
Ferris State University junior guard Mia Riley led the #15 Bulldogs to two impressive regional wins over the weekend in Missouri as FSU beat Southwest Baptist and longtime regional power Drury on the Panthers’ home floor in Springfield. Riley tallied 20.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game for FSU, which improved to 3-1 on the year against strong season-opening competition. The Fowler product shot 52% from the floor on the weekend and also had a squad-best 10 assists and seven steals for FSU. Riley started the weekend strong with 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists and two steals in nearly 36 minutes of work against Southwest Baptist before coming back to score a personal career-high 24 points while adding 11 rebounds, five assists and five steals in 38 minutes against Drury on Sunday. The double-double effort against the Panthers was also the first of her collegiate career.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense: Rylie Bisballe (Grand Valley State), Isabella Lenz (Michigan Tech), Megan McCalla (Saginaw Valley State), Peighton Nelson (Parkside), Sarah Newcomer (Northern Michigan), Mia Riley (Ferris State), Jaci Walker (Davenport)
Defense: Rylie Bisballe (Grand Valley State), Grace Bradford (Lake Superior State), Lillee Gustafson (Davenport), Alyssa Hill (Northern Michigan), Thaya Luse (Purdue Northwest), Lydia Meredith (Saginaw Valley State), Kendall Standfest (Michigan Tech), Chloe Van Zeeland (Parkside)
