LAUREN WHELCHEL, Women's Basketball

Rock Hills Senior Lauren Whelchel has been named the NCKSSports.com/Cunningham Telephone and Cable Athlete of the Week.

Whelchel has been a mainstay for the Grizzlies' girls basketball team since her freshman season.  She is having a great senior campaign going into the final two weeks of the season.  Last Friday night against Lakeside, despite a loss, Whelchel scored a season high 27 points and crashed the boards for a career best 19 rebounds as well.  It was her fifth double-double of the season.  On Tuesday in a 52-27 win over Natoma in Mankato, playing under the weather, Whelchel scored a team-best 17 points and added five rebounds and four steals.  On the season, Whelchel has scored in double figures 14 of the 16 games for the Lady Grizzlies and is now averaging 15.8 ppg and 8.2 rpg.  Earlier this season, she became the first player in Rock Hills history to surpass the 1,000 point and 500 rebound barriers.

We will announce the winners each week. Remember, you can nominate an athlete from any school sport.