Alana Nelson and Rylee Bess
Photo by: Josh Gales
Nelson and Bess Collect Horizon League Weekly Awards
1/26/2026 2:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
INDIANAPOLIS - Purdue Fort Wayne's Alana Nelson and Rylee Bess earned the Horizon League's Player and Freshman of the Week awards on Monday (Jan. 26).
Nelson and Bess led Purdue Fort Wayne to a pair of key Horizon League victories last week. The Mastodons beat Cleveland State 80-70 and Northern Kentucky 97-91 in overtime to move into a three-way tie for second place in the Horizon League standings.
Nelson averaged 19.5 points per game while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor (16-of-26) and 50 percent from 3-point range (6-of-12). She added 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. The graduate student scored 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting against Cleveland State and followed it up with a 16-point, 7-of-14 effort at Northern Kentucky. This is Nelson's third Player of the Week award. She is the only three-time winner this season.
Purdue Fort Wayne has collected four Player of the Week awards this year, the most in the league.
Bess averaged a team-best 20.0 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor (12-of-26), 31.6 percent from 3-point range (6-of-19) and 90.9 percent from the charity stripe (10-of-11). After a 13-point performance against Cleveland State, Bess exploded for a season-high of 27 points at Northern Kentucky, the second-most in a league game this season. This is Bess' second Freshman of the Week award. She is one of three freshman to have multiple honors this season.
Nelson, Bess and the Mastodons will take the Arnie Ball Court on Tuesday (Jan. 27) when they welcome Robert Morris to the Gates Sports Center.
Nelson and Bess led Purdue Fort Wayne to a pair of key Horizon League victories last week. The Mastodons beat Cleveland State 80-70 and Northern Kentucky 97-91 in overtime to move into a three-way tie for second place in the Horizon League standings.
Nelson averaged 19.5 points per game while shooting 61.5 percent from the floor (16-of-26) and 50 percent from 3-point range (6-of-12). She added 7.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. The graduate student scored 23 points on 9-of-12 shooting against Cleveland State and followed it up with a 16-point, 7-of-14 effort at Northern Kentucky. This is Nelson's third Player of the Week award. She is the only three-time winner this season.
Purdue Fort Wayne has collected four Player of the Week awards this year, the most in the league.
Bess averaged a team-best 20.0 points per game while shooting 46.2 percent from the floor (12-of-26), 31.6 percent from 3-point range (6-of-19) and 90.9 percent from the charity stripe (10-of-11). After a 13-point performance against Cleveland State, Bess exploded for a season-high of 27 points at Northern Kentucky, the second-most in a league game this season. This is Bess' second Freshman of the Week award. She is one of three freshman to have multiple honors this season.
Nelson, Bess and the Mastodons will take the Arnie Ball Court on Tuesday (Jan. 27) when they welcome Robert Morris to the Gates Sports Center.
~ Feel the Rumble ~
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