Jan. 11, 2010

EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette forward Ryan Willen (Cape Girardeau, Mo./Notre Dame) was named the Patriot League's Player of the Week on Monday afternoon. The Biology major picked up the team's second award of the season and his career. Willen was named to the Patriot League All-Rookie Team last season.

The sophomore gave his two best performances this past week. On Jan. 6 he had a career-high 27 points on 9-of-11 shooting to give the Leopards a 91-74 win over Columbia. In the Patriot League opener against preseason favorite Holy Cross, Willen scored 20 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead the team to an 84-74 win.

Willen has scored in double figures eight times this season; and has two 20-point games. He is the Leopards' third-leading scorer and is averaging 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The sophomore is currently ranked 13th in the league in scoring, ninth in field goal percentage (45%) and 10th in three-point field goal percentage (38.7%).

Lafayette (10-6, 1-0) travels to Hamilton, N.Y. to take on Colgate on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. tip-off.