WALESKA, Ga. – Jaidy Mejia-Andrade is a senior this season and is going out in style. This week, the SIDs of the AAC have taken notice.
 
Mejia-Andrade has been named women's basketball defensive player of the week.
 
This marks the third time a women's basketball player has been named player of the week this season, and the first time a Bear has taken the defensive honor. Last week, freshman Sophie Adkins was named offensive player of the week, and sophomore Jaaliyah Warren won the honor in November.
 
Mejia-Andrade is a 6-1 senior from Barranquilla, Colombia, who averaged 8.3 points and 10.7 rebounds per game in three contests last week.
 
Defensively, she finished with 26 defensive rebounds, 12 blocked shots and two steals as the Bears went 2-1 in three road games.
 
On Monday night, she logged all 40 minutes and finished with nine defensive rebounds, six blocked shots and a steal in a 68-45 win at Columbia International (S.C.) University. She also finished with seven points and 12 total rebounds.
 
In Wednesday's 76-42 win at Bluefield (Va.), she had 12 points and 14 rebounds, hitting five of seven from the field. Defensively, she had 11 rebounds, three blocks and a steal.
 
She finished up on Saturday with six points and six rebounds, all off the defensive glass. She also blocked three more shots at Reinhardt (Ga.).
 
For the season, she is now averaging 6.0 points and 7.8 rebounds per game and leads the conference with 46 blocked shots. She is also tied for second in the league in rebounds.
 
It's another busy week for Mejia-Andrade and her teammates. The Bears host Spartanburg Methodist (S.C.) College on Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the UPike Gym. They then travel to play Union Commonwealth University on Wednesday at 5:30.
 
They finish the regular-season on Saturday when they host Montreat (N.C.) College for senior day. That game will be at the Appalachian Wireless Arena and is set for a 2 p.m. opening tip.