Bledsoe named IIAC Performer of the Week

INDIANOLA, Iowa – After leading the Simpson women's basketball team to a thrilling 65-61 victory in the Iowa Conference Tournament Championship over Coe Saturday, Feb. 27, point guard Darrina Bledsoe earned Iowa Conference Performer of the Week honors for the period ending Feb. 28., as announced by the conference office late Monday.

Bledsoe, a junior from Glendale, Ariz., scored a career-high 15 points in leading Simpson to its third-consecutive IIAC Tournament Championship. The performance marked her first double-digit effort of the season, as she entered the game averaging just over three points per game. Bledsoe also dished out three assists and charted two steals in the contest, which gave Simpson its sixth Iowa Conference Tournament title.

With Simpson leading by only a point with 30 seconds left, Bledsoe's left-handed layup with the shot clock winding down helped seal the deal for the Storm.

Saturday's victory gave the Storm (22-5) the Iowa Conference's automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship, marking the team's sixth-consecutive trip to the tournament and 10th appearance all-time.

Simpson will face No. 19 Chicago (19-6) in the tournament opener Friday, March 5 in Bloomington, Ill. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.

Illinois Wesleyan (26-1) serves as the host for the first two rounds of the tournament. The No. 3 Titans will face Franklin (21-6) in Friday's late game. The opening game winners will play Saturday at 7 p.m.