PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week for Jan. 21, 2008

The Blue Jays' Pat O'Connell (Baltimore, MD/Loyola Blakefield) has been named PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week after averaging 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 43.5 minutes last week in two thrilling overtime victories against Muhlenberg and Swarthmore.

The sophomore guard shot 42.1 percent from the field, including 50.0 percent from three-point range, and 90.0 percent from from the free throw line. O'Connell also dished out four assists and had six steals to go with one block. On Wednesday, in three overtimes against Muhlenberg, O'Connell went 6-of-6 from the charity stripe and 1-of-2 from the field.  Then just three days later, in the two overtimes at Swarthmore, he went 5-of-6 from the free throw line, including two with three seconds on the clock to seal the win, had two steals and played all 10 minutes.

John Hopkins (9-6 - 5-3 Centennial Conference) will attempt to extend their three game winning streak this week when they take on McDaniel and Dickinson in two home contests.

PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Honor Roll (01/14/08-01/20/08)

Marcus Cotton, Goucher, Freshman, Forward, Silver Spring, Md./Springbrook

Todd Green, Washington College, Junior, Guard, Ridgewood, NJ/Ridgewood

Ryan Junghans, Hood College, Junior, Guard, Derwood, Md./Magruder

Tyson Lesesne, St. Mary's (Md.), Senior, Guard, Edgewood, Md./Edgewood

Greg Palmer, Salisbury University, Sophomore, Guard, Salisbury, Md./Salisbury Christian

2007-08 PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week Previous Winners

11/19 - Ryan Junghans, Hood, Junior, Guard, Derwood, MD/Magruder

11/25 - Brett Foelber, McDaniel, Senior, Guard/Forward, Sykesville, Md./Cardinal Gibbons

12/03 - Tyson Lesesne, St. Mary's (Md.), Senior, Guard, Edgewood, Md./Edgewood

12/10 - Jesse Gutekunst, Hood, Senior, Center, Hagerstown, Md./South Hagerstown

1/7 - Brian Green, Frostburg, Senior, Guard, Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley

1/14 - Greg Woody, Villa Julie, Sophomore, Guard, Baltimore, MD/Mt. St. Joe 

About the PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week Award

Entering its second year, the PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week Award is granted on a weekly basis on behalf of the Pride of Maryland Tournament Committee. Each week, each of the nine Pride of Maryland schools has the ability to nominate one men's basketball player, based upon their on-court accomplishments over the previous seven days. An esteemed panel of media members vote to select the most outstanding player of the group. Simply, the student-athlete with the most votes becomes the PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week. All student-athletes who receive votes, but are not named the PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week, are then named to the PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Honor Roll.

The award will be presented on Mondays, beginning on November 19, 2007, and concluding February 25, 2008, with a two-week hiatus on December 25, 2006.

The Pride of Maryland is comprised of the nine NCAA Division III schools in the state: Frostburg State University, Goucher College, Hood College, John Hopkins University, McDaniel College, Salisbury University, St. Mary's College of Maryland, Villa Julie College and Washington College.

For more information on the Provident Bank Pride of Maryland Tournament, go to http://www.providentpride.com/.



About PrestoSports

PrestoSports is proud to sponsor the Provident Bank Pride of Maryland Tournament, and has created the PrestoSports/Pride of Maryland Player of the Week Award to recognize the best athletic achievements in the state of Maryland. A Rockville, Md., based company, PrestoSports is a leading provider of athletic content management software to colleges and conference offices used for designing, building and maintaining official athletic websites. With clients across the country, PrestoSports focuses on smaller schools and conferences in NCAA Divisions II and III.