Jacqueline Batteast scored 22 points to lead the way for the Irish (file photo).

Jacqueline Batteast Named BIG EAST Conference Player Of The Week

Nov. 22, 2004

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior All-America forward Jacqueline Batteast (South Bend, Ind./Washington HS) has been selected as the BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week, the league office announced Monday. It’s the second time in her career that Batteast has earned the BIG EAST’s top weekly honor, having also won the award on Dec. 29, 2003.

Batteast averaged 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game with a .507 field goal percentage as Notre Dame swept four games in eight days to win the Sportsview.tv Preseason WNIT. Along the way, she scored a game-high 17 points in a semifinal victory over No. 6 Duke and a career-high 32 points in the championship game win over No. 10/9 Ohio State. In both contests, she went on personal 10-point runs and helped the Irish overcome eight-point second-half deficits. Against OSU, she scored seven points in Notre Dame’s game-ending 12-0 run and blocked a potential game-tying three-point field goal by the Buckeyes with two seconds remaining. For her efforts, Batteast was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.

Notre Dame (4-0), which moved up to No. 6 in the newest Associated Press poll that was released Monday afternoon, returns to action Monday night against Colorado State at 7 p.m. (ET) at the Joyce Center.

— ND —