UGA Women’s Basketball: Staiti Sweeps SEC and National Honors

ATHENS, Ga. — Jenna Staiti, who has scored in double figures in four-straight games and in 42 of the last 49 contests overall, has been named the ESPN National Player of the Week and the Southeastern Conference Player of the Week, it was announced Tuesday.

Steady Staiti has been sensational in her final season in Athens. She has led No. 12-ranked Georgia to an 11-1 record, averaging nearly a double-double of 14.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.

Last week, the Cumming, Ga., had dominant performance against one of the nation’s best players when she scored 21 points to go with 11 rebounds against No. 2-ranked NC State. Going against 2021 All-American and Preseason ACC Player of the Year Elissa Cunane, Staiti hit close to 60 percent from the field, nailed three 3-pointers and tied a season-high with six blocks. She played almost the entire way and helped Georgia to its first true road win against a top-2 team in program history.

Staiti followed that performance with 16 points against St. Francis and 17 versus South Alabama. She has hit 15-of-17 (88 percent) from the field over the last two games.

This is the latest honor of Staiti’s distinguished career. She was a 2021 All-SEC selection, made the SEC All-Tournament Team and was a 2021 WBCA All-America honorable mention honoree. Entering this year, Staiti landed on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List for the nation’s best center and the Naismith National Player of the Year Watch List.

The Lady Bulldogs are off the rest of this week to celebrate the Christmas holiday. Georgia returns home to host No. 21-ranked LSU on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m. ET.