MONROE, La. – Majok Deng and Alayshia Hunter from ULM basketball closed out the 2015 calendar year strong and earned Warhawk Male and Female of the Month honors, respectively, for December, announced Tuesday.
Deng has guided the men's program to a 2-0 Sun Belt Conference record for the first time in nine years, while Hunter has the women off to a 6-5 start overall.
In the month of December, Deng earned National Mid-Major Player of the Week from College Sports Madness, and Louisiana Player of the Week. The awards came on two separate weeks. Deng shot .533 (40-75) from the field and .444 (12-27) from three-point range in the month.
Deng, from Adelaide, Australia, averaged 23.6 points and 8.0 rebounds in five games in December. He got it started with a 30-point outing against UL-Lafayette to get the Warhawks off to a 1-0 start in league play with an 81-70 win.
In his next performance, the senior notched a career-high 33 points to go along with 10 rebounds in a 101-76 victory over Central Baptist. Deng also registered 21 points and 10 rebounds in 52 minutes against Canisius in a triple overtime bout. Most recently, he finished with 18 points and seven rebounds in a 72-56 win over Appalachian State.
Deng currently leads the Sun Belt Conference in scoring with 19.8 points per game and 24.0 in league play. He's also third in the league in blocks with 1.3 per outing.
Hunter, a senior from Killeen, Texas, shot 46-70 (.657) from the field and averaged 7.8 rebounds per game for the month. She had 14 blocks as well.
Her game was a road contest at McNeese State on Dec. 16, posting career-highs of 28 points on 11 field goals, as well as 12 rebounds. It came on the heels of a 21-point, 11-board performance in a win over Nicholls State on Dec. 12.
Another notable performance included a 17-point, three-block showing at TCU on Dec. 5.
Hunter's 61.7 percent from the field is the best mark in the Sun Belt. Her 18.3 points per game for the year also ranks second in the league. She is second in blocks (2.0 pg) and eighth in rebounding (6.8).
It marked the fourth career Warhawk of the Month or Week recognition for Deng and the third for Hunter.
Warhawk of the Month will again be distributed for the month of January and then revert back to a weekly award in February.
Fall 2015-16 Warhawk of the Week Archive
August: Male: N/A; Female: Karlea Fehr (Soccer)
Sept. 8: Male: Rashon Ceaser (Football); Female: Mariah Mitchell (Soccer)
Sept. 15: Male: Garrett Smith (Football); Female: Hope Pawlik (Volleyball)
Sept. 22: Male: Isaac Ndirangu (Cross Country); Female: Hope Pawlik (Volleyball)
Sept. 29: Male: Trey Caldwell (Football); Female: Taylor Zaeske (Volleyball)
Oct. 6: Male: Ajalen Holley (Football); Female: Caitlin Herb/Petra Horakova (Tennis)
Oct. 13: Male: Ben Banogu (Football); Female: Brooke-Lynn Scroggins (Soccer)
Oct. 20: Male: Hunter Kissinger (Football); Female: Petra Horakova (Tennis)
Oct. 27: Male: Michael Johnson (Football); Female: Tiffany Mylonas (Tennis)
Nov. 3: Male: Chris Silva (Cross Country); Female: Kelley O'Dwyer (Soccer)
Nov. 10: Male: Marcus Green (Football); Female: Tara Jenkins (Volleyball)
Nov. 17: Male: Majok Deng (Basketball); Female: Aundrea Davis (Basketball)
Nov. 24: Male: Majok Deng (Basketball); Female: Alayshia Hunter (Basketball)
December: Male: Majok Deng (Basketball); Female: Alayshia Hunter (Basketball)
Warhawk of the Week Archive
