Empire 8 Release
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Elmira College third-year standout
Danielle Cleary '18 was honored as the Empire 8 Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week, as announced by the league office on Monday.
The E8's leader in points per game continued to score at a torrent pace in non-conference action against Shenandoah University and Gallaudet University last week. Cleary netted 22.5 points per game and finished a rebound shy of a double-double with 9.0 per game. She also averaged 4.0 assists, 3.5 blocks and 2.0 steals over the two-game stretch.
In the road contest at Shenandoah on Tuesday, November 22nd, Cleary played all 40 minutes and collected her first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. She was a menace on defense as well, as she recorded a trio of steals and blocks.
The Rochester, New York, native guided the Soaring Eagles to their first victory of the season last time out against Gallaudet University in EC's home opener. In an 82-59 rout of the Bison on November 27th, Cleary seemingly scored at will from all areas of the floor and tied her season high with 26 points. She completed her stat line with eight boards, six assists, four steals and a pair of blocks. In addition, she drained a season-best four 3-point field goals and made all four of her attempts from the foul line.
On the season, Cleary, a two-time Empire All-Conference honoree, sits atop the E8 leaderboard with 20.0 points per game and ranks among the top 20 in every other major statistical category, including minutes played (first, 39.2), blocks (fourth, 1.4), steals (fourth, 2.8), and made 3-pointers per game (tied-fifth, 2.0).
It is also worth noting that if Cleary continues to score at such a rapid rate, she will sooner rather than later join the all-time greatest players to don a Purple and Gold jersey in the prestigious 1,000-point club. With 100 points through the first five games of 2016-17, she has surpassed Mary Symonds '09 for 10th-place with 858 career points, drawing ever closer to the historic mark.
Cleary and the Elmira women's basketball team continue their homestand at Speidel Gymnasium with a non-conference tilt against the Wildcats of the Pennsylvania College on Tuesday, November 29th, at 6:00 p.m.
