ULM Warhawks

MONROE, La. – Leading their teams in the month of December, Tylor Ongwae from men's basketball and Ashleigh Simmons from women's basketball earned Warhawk Male and Female of the Month awards, respectively, announced Tuesday.

In four games, Ongwae led the men with a 16.5 points per game scoring average and also brought down 4.3 rebounds per contest. He had a pair of 20-plus scoring games, including a 22 point, seven rebound, four assist outing in the team's victory over Thomas on Dec. 9.

The Eldoret, Kenya native reached double-figures in all four games and turned in a 20 point, five rebound game against LA Tech on Dec. 22. Ongwae notched 12 points against both LSU and Ole Miss on the road.

In ULM's latest game, the junior registered career-highs of 27 points, 11 rebounds, 11 field goals, three blocks and 46 minutes en route to his first career double-double against UL-Lafayette. He guided the team to a 103-98 victory in double overtime to get the Warhawks off to a 1-0 start in Sun Belt Conference play.

Simmons paced the Warhawks with 101 total points in the month of December (14.4 ppg; seven games). She also led the team in rebounds (7.9 rpg), while ranking second in blocks (five) and tied for third in steals (six).

Simmons recorded double-doubles in back-to-back contests against Stephen F. Austin (22 points, 11 rebounds) and at McNeese State (22 points, 10 rebounds). She continued to score in double figures as she notched 10 or more points in the next four games (Grand Canyon, 11; Alcorn State, 12; Washington, 16; Pittsburgh, 18).

Her strong play over the course of three days in the Duel in the Desert in Las Vegas earned the senior forward All-Tournament honors. Simmons averaged 11.3 ppg and 6.7 rpg during the three-game stretch.

Both the men and the women will be in action this week as they travel to UT Arlington. The women play on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. while the men tipoff on Thursday at noon.

Warhawk of the Week will resume as a weekly award for the spring semester.

Warhawk of the Week Archive
Sept. 3:      Male: Hillary Kirwa (Cross Country); Female: Pauline Muiruri (Cross Country)
Sept. 10:    Male: Cortney Davis (Football); Female: Jenna Pillon (Soccer)
Sept. 17:    Male: Kolton Browning (Football); Female: Hadley Swartz (Volleyball)
Sept. 24:    Male: Justin Manton (Football); Female: Mariah Mitchell (Soccer)
Oct. 1:        Male: Charlie MacNeal (Golf); Female: Alison Knowles (Golf)
Oct. 8:        Male: Dusan Makevic (Cross Country); Female: Sophie Rufyikiri (Tennis)
Oct: 15:      Male: Isaiah Newsome (Football); Female: Medy Blankvoort (Tennis)
Oct. 22:      Male: Hillary Kirwa (Cross Country); Female: Somer Anderson (Soccer)
Oct. 29:      Male: Kolton Browning (Football); Female: Alison Knowles (Golf)
Nov. 5:        Male: Ajalen Holley (Football); Female: Marcela Araya (Volleyball)
Nov. 12:      Male: Marvin Williams (Basketball); Female: Marcela Araya (Volleyball)
Nov. 19:      Male: Amos Olatayo (Basketball); Female: Sharnice Brooks (Basketball)
Nov. 26:      Male: Amos Olatayo (Basketball); Female: Ashleigh Simmons (Basketball)
December:  Male: Tylor Ongwae (Basketball); Female: Ashleigh Simmons (Basketball)