Backus Native Taylor Sheley Honored by MIAC as Player of the Week

SAINT PAUL, MN (12/16/2011)(readMedia)-- Bethel University women's basketball senior Taylor Sheley of Backus, Minn., was named Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Women's Basketball Player of the Week for her performance the week of December 4-10.

The Bethel women's basketball team continued its blazing start to the season with three conference wins during the week, giving the Royals a seven-game winning streak and their first 5-0 MIAC start in team history. Leading the charge was Sheley, whose all-around play has been crucial to Bethel's 7-1 start. The guard averaged 21.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game last week in the three wins, including a stellar second-half performance against Augsburg University.

Sheley's big week began with a clutch performance in a 66-57 home win over previously unbeaten Augsburg. She poured in 19 second-half points en route to 26 points in the win. She led the Royals to another close win over Carleton, 52-51, just two days later with a full stat line of 19 points, five rebounds, and two steals, and she capped her brilliant week with a double-double. Sheley had 19 points and 11 rebounds in a 68-60 road win at Saint Mary's to give Bethel plenty of momentum heading into its holiday break.

This season, Sheley has been one of the MIAC's top all-around players. In overall games, she leads the league in scoring (19.4 points per game), steals (3.13 per game), and three-pointers (2.5 per game), and she's eighth in assists (2.63 per game). She's been just as good in conference play, leading the MIAC in scoring (19.4 ppg) and three-pointers (2.6 per game), and she's tied for seventh in steals (2.2 per game) and assists (2.6 per game).

Bethel University is a leader in Christ-centered higher education with approximately 6,600 students from 48 states and 25 countries enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, seminary, and adult education programs. Based in St. Paul, Minn., with additional seminary locations on both coasts, Bethel offers rigorous bachelor's and advanced degrees in nearly 100 relevant fields. For further information on Bethel University, go to www.bethel.edu.