Freshman forward Katie Collins nabs her fifth and sixth Ivy League Rookie of the Week awards in a dominant three-game stretch versus Brown, Yale, and Princeton.
In what was arguably one of the most important games for the Quakers this season in terms of momentum and hopes of qualifying for Ivy Madness, Collins guided the team to a win with a near season-high 17-point performance in a heated match versus Yale. Collins’ actual season high is 18 points, which came in a 72-68 overtime loss to UC Irvine on Nov. 21.
“I thought Katie Collins was composed … and took the threes when available,” coach Mike McLaughlin said in the post-game conference after the win over Yale. “I just love the way she came out at the start. She was confident. She played really well.”
Collins’ contributions didn’t stop at the three-point line — she also added four assists to her tally on the night, running the floor well to help three of her teammates also reach double digits in scoring. Senior guard Stina Almqvist finished with a game-high 18 points while junior guard Simone Sawyer and sophomore guard Matayla Gayle finished with 17 points apiece.
While the award came after Collins shone in the 20-point drubbing of the Bulldogs, she also came to play the previous day in another highly contested Ivy League matchup against Brown. She finished the game with nine points and nine rebounds—one of each away from notching her fifth double-double of the season.
Capping off this stretch, Collins broke her career-high in points with an 18-point scoring outburst, tying her career-high for threes made in a game, in a loss to Princeton. Despite the loss, her high scoring earned her a second consecutive Ivy League Rookie of the Week award.
“Katie was terrific … [her] back-to-back threes just gave us some life,” McLaughlin said after the matchup against Princeton. “She was one of the best players on the floor for us today, and I was really happy with the way she competed, played, and responded.”
As the season rolls on, she will continue to play a key role in the Red and Blue's pursuit of a spot in the Ivy League Tournament.
There will be no love lost when Collins and Penn women’s basketball goes up against Yale this upcoming Valentine's Day — facing the Bulldogs for the second time in three games. The Red and Blue will retake the court at home versus Yale on Feb. 14 at 6 p.m.
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