Tyra Jones, senior forward, earned her second Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Women’s Basketball Player of the Week Award for this season on Jan. 21.
Ryley Egger, MIAA director of strategic communication, explained how eligibility for the award works a phone interview with The Bulletin.
“Every sports coach can nominate their players as long as the school is eligible through the sport. The way eligibility works is the school has to sponsor that sport,” Egger said.
Emporia would be eligible for basketball due to the sponsorship of both a men’s and women’s team, but not in wrestling since ESU does not have a team.
In an email to The Bulletin from ESU Athletics, “Jones is averaging 15.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game to rank in the top ten of the MIAA in both categories,” for the season.
According to the ESU Hornets website, Jones averaged 19.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 59.3 percent from the field in two games for the Hornets. On Jan. 16, while giving No. 3 Fort Hayes their first loss of the season, she averaged 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Most recently against Nebraska Kearney on January 20, Jones achieved her second straight double-double. With just 2:42 left in the 3rd quarter, Jones brought ESU back from trailing behind Nebraska at 15 points, now allowing the Hornets to lead at 54-53.
