SOMERSET, N.J. ? Monmouth University senior forward Jennifer Bender (Staten Island, N.Y./Staten Island Tech) has been named Choice Hotels/NEC Co-Player of the Week after helping the Hawks to two straight wins. This marks the third time Bender has claimed the league honor this season, and she shares this week's award with St. Francis College senior guard Kara Ayers.

Bender tallied a career-high 27 points on 10-of-14 shooting from the floor in MU's 71-54 win over St. Francis College on Saturday and then logged her fifth double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the Hawks 67-49 win over future NEC member Bryant on Monday night. The senior shot a blistering 61.5% from the floor during the week (16-of-26) and hit an impressive 84.6% (11-of-13) of her free throws. She was very efficient during the two games, scoring almost a point a minute in the two wins. 

The senior leads MU and ranks sixth in the league in both scoring and rebounding with 15.4 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, respectively. Monmouth returns to action this Saturday, when they host Mount St. Mary's at 3:00 pm. The game will mark MU's celebration of National Girls and Women in Sports Day as well as its Think Pink game for breast cancer awareness.