Nash named A-R-C Athlete of the Week

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- Simpson College women's basketball player Cassie Nash earned American Rivers Conference Athlete of the Week honors for the period ending Sunday, March 14, the league office announced Monday.

Nash averaged 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 steals and 3.3 assists in leading Simpson to a 3-0 run through the conference tournament and the program's 13th conference championship.

A sophomore from Lincoln, Nebraska, Nash opened the week with 13 points, five steals and four assists in the Storm's 94-58 quarterfinal win over Luther. In the semifinals against Central, Nash scored a season-high 20 points on 8-for-9 shooting as the Storm beat the Dutch 75-61.

Nash saved her best effort for last, scoring a career-high 31 points in Simpson's 89-84 overtime win against Coe in the A-R-C Championship game. She scored 10 points in the fourth quarter alone and was instrumental to the Storm's 19-0 run to begin the quarter.

Nash shot 54 percent from the field during the week and went 23-for-31 from the free-throw line. In Saturday's championship game against Coe, she connected on 14 of 18 free throws.

The women's basketball player of the week award is the first of Nash's career and the sixth by a Simpson player in the 2020-21 season. Jenna Taylor won the award three times while Cameron Kincaid and Regan Freland each earned the honor once.