PEORIA, Ill. -- Senior guard Catie O'Leary (Janesville, Wis./Parker/Wisconsin) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Female Scholar-Athlete of the Week announced by the league office Wednesday, in addition to garnering the Bradley Country Financial Scholar-Athlete of the Week award after helping the Bradley women's basketball team split a pair of Missouri Valley Conference road games last week.
O'Leary averaged 21.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.0 steals in a pair of road games to help Bradley start Missouri Valley Conference play with a 1-1 record for the first time since 2008-09. In the double overtime game at Southern Illinois, she collected 18 points, 12 rebounds and three assists in 46 minutes of action.
At Evansville, O'Leary took over the primary ball-handling duties with senior Kelsey Budd missing the game due to injury and scored a season-high 24 points to help the Braves rally for the 77-76 road victory. She also had 15 rebounds, five assists, one block and three steals in the win, while scoring 15 of her game-high 24 points in the second half. O'Leary is the first Bradley player with 20 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in a game since Bradley Hall of Fame member Val Wancket tallied 23 points, 17 boards and six assists against Loyola on Nov. 25, 1991. A nursing major, O'Leary owns a 3.56 cumulative grade point average.
To qualify for Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Week laurels, student-athletes must carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.20, completed at least one academic year at a Valley institution and must be at least a sophomore in academic standing
Each week, a Bradley student-athlete is selected as the Country Financial Scholar-Athlete of the Week. The individual chosen must be at least a sophomore in class standing and boast a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average, while displaying a level of athletic excellence.
O'Leary and the Braves will play their Missouri Valley Conference home opener Friday (7 p.m.) against Missouri State at Renaissance Coliseum.
