COLORADO SPRINGS – For a second straight week, Oredigger senior Sammy Van Sickle was named the RMAC Defensive Player of the Week after helping the #19 Colorado School of Mines Women's Basketball team go 2-0 to start Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.
 
Van Sickle did it all for the Orediggers in home wins of 78-70 and 80-51 against Regis and South Dakota Mines. Her averages for the week included 14.0 points, 5.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 2.0 blocks per game with just one turnover in over 55 minutes on the court. Van Sickle's biggest performance of the week came against South Dakota Mines where she nearly posted a triple-double thanks to 18 points, eight assists, seven rebounds, three blocks and three steals. It bolstered her 10-point, three-rebound, two-steal, one-block outing against Regis from earlier in the week. Through eight games, the Arvada, Colo., native ranks #2 in the RMAC in total rebounds, total assists and assists per game. She also ranks #3 in total steals and steals per game with a spot at #5 in total blocks.
 
As a team, Mines' 2-0 start to RMAC action improved the Orediggers to 7-1 overall which marks the best start in program history. As a team, Mines boasts the league's #2 offense and #2 defense thanks to 73.4 points-per-game for and just 52.8 points-per-game against. Nationally, the Orediggers are #2 in the nation in total steals and steals per game. They also rank in the top-15 in DII in assist-to-turnover ratio, total assists, assists per game, offensive rebounds per game, scoring margin and turnover margin.
 
Van Sickle and the Orediggers head to Colorado Springs this Saturday for a 5:30 p.m. contest at UCCS. Live stats and video on the RMAC Network will be offered for free at www.minesathletics.com.
 
Fans can keep up with Mines women's basketball on Twitter and Instagram at @MinesWBB. They can also keep up with Colorado School of Mines Athletics all year long on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the handle @MinesAthletics.