KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College athletic department named
Eden Damis of the men's indoor track and field team and
Valerie Luizzi of the women's basketball team this week's Owl Athletes of the Week. This week's selection encompassed action from January 5 through January 11.
Eden Damis, a senior jumper from Nashua, New Hampshire earned his first LEC Field Athlete of the Week award from his performance at the Middlebury Snowflake Invitational on Saturday for the Owls. In the long jump, Damis posted a mark of 14.00 in the triple just for a new personal record in his final attempt of the day. His mark became the 21st best mark in NCAA Division III on the season, just one position for qualifying for nationals later this season.
Valerie Luizzi, a senior guard from Colchester, Connecticut became the 22nd member of the 1,000-career point club over the past week as she scored 14 points in the Owls' 75-49 win at Plymouth State University on Tuesday. In the contest, Luizzi also grabbed her 400th career rebound, becoming only the ninth Owl to reach both the 1,000-point milestone and 400 career rebound mark. Across the Owls' 2-1 week, Luizzi recorded 17 ppg on 40.5% (17-for-42) shooting from the field to go with 45.8% (11-for-24) from three. To go with her 17 PPG, Luizzi also averaged eight rebounds per game, 3.3 assists per game, and 2.3 steals per game. Her best all-around game came in the Owls' 62-56 win over Eastern Connecticut State University as she recorded a game-high 19 points on 50% from the field and from deep (7-for-14 and 4-for-8) to go with a team-high nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals.