BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The standout freshman campaign of
Zanai Barnett-Gay continues to garner attention as for the second time this season she swept both of the Patriot League weekly awards. The only player in program history to even achieve this accolade once, she was the Patriot League Player and Rookie of the Week on Nov. 27, Barnett-Gay has doubled down on history with Monday's awards announcement by the conference. The freshman guard from Glenn Dale, Maryland was recognized for her efforts this past week in Navy's victories over Lehigh and Colgate.
Starting on Wednesday night at home versus Lehigh, Barnett-Gay posted her fifth double-double of the season with 21 points and 10 rebounds to go along with five assists and four steals, while shooting 47.6 percent in the Mids' 16-point win. On Saturday versus Colgate, she helped Navy fight from behind after trailing for over 34 minutes and secure a 59-58 win over Colgate at Alumni Hall. Playing all 40 minutes on Saturday, Barnett-Gay scored a game-high 17 points with seven rebounds, five steals and three assists. For the week, she averaged 19.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.5 steals, 4.0 assists and 1.0 block, while shooting 41.0 percent.
For the year, Barnett-Gay currently ranks 60th in the nation with a 17.8 points per game average. Among freshmen, she is the sixth-highest scoring member of the Class of 2027 trailing just USC's JuJu Watkins (27.3 ppg), Notre Dame's Hannah Hidalgo (24.8 ppg), Arkansas' Taliah Scott (22.2 ppg), Western Illinois' Raegan McCowan (18.7 ppg) and Iowa State's Audi Crooks (17.9 ppg). For her defensive prowess, Barnett-Gay ranks sixth nationally with her 3.35 steals per contest average. In comparison to her fellow Patriot League players, she is tops in steals per game, second in scoring, sixth in rebounding with 6.4 caroms per game and eighth with 3.1 assists per game.
Barnett-Gay is the the second player in Navy women's basketball program history to earn six or more Patriot League Rookie of the Week awards in a single-season, tying Becky Dowling's total from 1994-95, and one of four Mids to ever earn five or more Patriot League Rookie of the Week nods ...
Becky Dowling (1994-95) -- 6 awards
Zanai Barnett-Gay (Pres.) -- 6 awards
Cassie Consedine (2007-08) -- 5 awards
Maren Louridas (2022-23) -- 5 awards
Overall, Navy has won three of its last four games heading into its 2024 Star Game versus Army at West Point this Saturday morning. Tip-off at Christl Arena is scheduled for 11 a.m. with CBS Sports Network covering the contest nationally on broadcast television.
