ST LOUIS – Elyce Knudsen and Doneelah Washington were honored by the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time Monday after helping Illinois State to a pair of wins at the 2024 Gulf Coast Showcase in Fort Myers, Fla. last week. Knudsen earned Valley Newcomer of the Week while Washington took home Freshman of the Week honors for the Redbirds.
Knudsen averaged 14.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals on 17-for-29 (58.6%) shooting from the field and 5-for-8 shooting from deep (62.5%) for the Redbirds in Florida. She shined in a win over New Mexico State Sunday, scoring 23 points, a high for her Redbird career, and posting her second 20-point performance in just five appearances in the season. Knudsen caught fire late in the third quarter for the Redbirds, scoring 18 points over the final 11 minutes and 6 seconds of the game. She scored 13-straight points for Illinois State from the 1:44 mark of the third quarter to the 8:43 mark of the fourth quarter. Knudsen was 9-for-13 from the field in the 82-66 win over the Aggies (69.2%) and 3-for-5 (60%) from deep in the win. Knudsen reached double figures twice for the Redbirds in Florida, also tallying 12 points Friday against Boise State.
Knudsen is the second Redbird to earn Valley Newcomer of the Week honors this season, after Addi Martin did so to open the season Nov. 11.
Washington reached double-figure scoring for the first time in her career, then did so in consecutive games for the first time in her college career for Illinois State at the Gulf Coast Showcase. She averaged 8.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game on 10-for-16 (62.5%) shooting from the field across three games. Washington tallied season-high marks 11 points and 9 rebounds, just shy of her first-career double-double, in 19 minutes of Illinois State's win over High Point on Saturday. It marked her second-straight game in double figures, after a performance of 10 points and 5 rebounds Friday against Boise State.
She is the second Redbird over the last three seasons to earn MVC Freshman of the Week honors, joining teammate Shannon Dowell.
GoRedbirds.com and the Illinois State Redbirds App: Your sources for Illinois State tickets, Weisbecker Athletic Fund gifts, multimedia, Redbird merchandise, photos and more.
