NIACC’s Willems earns national POW week award

NIACC’s Mandy Willems shoots a 3 against Bay College. Photo by NIACC’s Jim Zach

MASON CITY – For the third time this season, NIACC freshman Mandy Willems has been selected as the NJCAA Division II national player of the week for the week of March 4-10.

Willems, 5-9 guard from Ackley, helped guide the Lady Trojans to the NJCAA Region XI title and a berth in next week’s national tournament. Willems was selected as the regional tournament MVP. She averaged 22.3 points per game in the three tournament wins.

Willems scored 20 points in the tournament opener against Little Priest Tribal College. She scored 31 points, including eight 3-point goals, in the semifinal win over Iowa Central and scored 16 points in the championship against Kirkwood.

Willems drained 15 3-point goals in the regional tournament and collected 11 rebounds.

Willems also earned national player of the week honors during the weeks of Oct. 29-Nov. 3 and Feb. 25-March 3. She also was selected as the ICCAC player of the week five times in the 2018-19 season.