Gallaudet's Easter Faafiti earns fourth NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week award, third in a row

GANESVOORT, N.Y. - The North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) announced its weekly conference student-athlete of the week awards and for the fourth time this season, third time in a row, Gallaudet University senior forward/center Easter Faafiti (Pittsburg, Calif.) was named the women's basketball recipient for the week of January 18.

Faafiti led the No. 24 Bison (14-0, 1-0 NEAC) to three conference wins last week at home as GU defeated College of Saint Elizabeth, Morrisville State College and Cazenovia College. Gallaudet is off to its best start to a season in program history.

She averaged 21.3 points per game, 14.7 rebounds per game, 4.3 assists per game and 4.0 steals per game in 92 minutes of action last week. Faafiti had a monster game against Cazenovia College as she netted 31 points, 16 rebounds, seven steals and six assists. The points, rebounds and assists totals tied or set new season-high marks for the All-American. She has seven straight double-doubles to her credit, nine overall this season.

Faafiti is ranked ninth in the nation in steals per game (4.3), 21st in rebounds per game (11.5), 25th in field goal percentage (55.1 percent), 32nd in double-doubles (six) and 34th in points per game (18.5). All NCAA rankings are through January 9, 2011. She leads the NEAC in free throw percentage (.813) and steals.

Gallaudet has earned 14 NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week awards for the 2010-11 season. Faafiti has been honored by the NEAC on January 10, December 20 and November 29.