ST. LOUIS – Drake University redshirt-sophomore Graham Woodward (Edina, Minn.) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Scholar- Athlete of the Week, the league announced Tuesday, Jan. 5. The honor is the first of the season for Woodward and marks the sixth consecutive week that a Drake men's basketball student-athlete has been honored as the MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week.
Woodward led Drake last week by averaging 13.5 points, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game on the week. He shot 42.9 percent from the three-point arc and 88.9 percent from the free-throw line.
He was Drake's second-leading scorer in both games on the week with 12 points in the loss at Wichita State and 15 points against Illinois State. He was 3-of-6 from the arc against the Redbirds with three assists and two steals in 38 minutes of action. Woodward has now scored in double-figures in 10 games this season and three-straight.
Academically, Woodward, owns a 3.4 GPA as a management and marketing major since transferring from Penn State after his freshman year.
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.
Redshirt freshmen and first-year junior college transfers are not eligible. In addition to the academic qualifications, student-athletes will be evaluated on their athletic performance for a one-week period.
Previously this season, men's basketball's Reed Timmer (New Berlin, Wis.) earned the honor three-consecutive weeks while Kale Abrahamson (West Des Moines, Iowa) has won the award twice.
Additionally, a Drake student-athlete has won the award 13 times in the 20 weeks the honor has been awarded in 2015-16 including two weeks in which the Bulldogs swept the men's and women's honors.
Drake's 2015-16 MVC Scholar-Athlete of the Week Winners
Graham Woodward – Men's Basketball – Jan. 5
Kale Abrahamson – Men's Basketball – Dec. 29
Reed Timmer – Men's Basketball – Dec. 22
Reed Timmer – Men's Basketball – Dec. 15
Reed Timmer – Men's Basketball – Dec. 8
Rai Ahmed-Green – Women's Track & Field – Dec. 8
Kale Abrahamson – Men's Basketball – Dec. 1
James Grunert – Men's Soccer – Nov. 24
Paul Ciszewski – Men's Soccer – Nov. 16
Steven Enna – Men's Soccer – Oct. 19
Emma Huston – Women's Cross Country – Oct. 19
Reed Fischer – Men's Cross Country – Oct. 6
Ben LeMay – Men's Soccer – Sept. 22
