Written by Stacy Hall
The Gulf South Conference awards two athletes every week, one male and one female. Basketball players Sierra Rollins and Stephen Blake were both recognized in the same week on Jan. 19.A junior from Angleton, Texas, Rollins is a second-time award winner of the GSC athlete of the week. She said the recognition does not feel any different from the first time she received it. Except this time is a little bit sweeter, Rollins said, because the team got two more victories to their name this year, whereas last year they split the games. Rollins said the team has great dynamics this year and all have the same goal.”I think we will have a very goodseason,” Rollins said. “We have done very well until this point and I don’t expect us to fold anytime soon.”The Harding men’s basketball team is ranked No. 3 in the first NCAA Division II South Region Rankings according to the NCAA.Blake, a senior from Greenbrier, Ark., is a first-time receiver of the GSC athlete of the week, but he is very humble about the award. Blake said he is more concerned about the team and their success rather than praising himself.”I was proud to receive that recogni- tion, but really it doesn’t mean anything,” Blake said. “There are more important things we are trying to do as a team.”Having the two recipients of the GSC award in the same week is very flattering for Harding University and especially its athletics. It’s doubly great recognition to the school, and hopefully they will continue to have many other athletes of the week.”I think it’s really cool that Hard- ing players got recognized in the same week,” Rollins said. “It just shows that the hard work that goes on in this program is paying off.”
