ST. LOUIS – Freshman Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) of the Drake University women's basketball team was named the Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Newcomer of the Week for the second straight week, the league office announced on Monday, Jan. 11.
 
Rhine helped Drake get two big road wins this past weekend as the Bulldogs improved to 3-1 in the MVC, averaging 14.0 points and 7.5 rebounds, in the victories at Missouri State and Wichita State. In the win at Missouri State, Rhine, from nearby Eldon, Mo. played in front of a large group of family and friends finishing with nine points and seven rebounds in Drake's first win in Springfield, Mo. since the 2008-09 season. In the win over the Shockers, she went a perfect 7-of-7 from the floor, scoring 19 points and snagging a game-high eight boards as the Bulldogs won at Wichita State also for the first time since the 2008-09 season.
 
Rhine is averaging 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game while shooting a MVC-best 62.2 percent from the floor in her first season as a Bulldog. Rhine's scoring and rebounding averages rank 15^th and ninth, respectively, in the conference.
 
Drake returns to Des Moines, Iowa on Friday, Jan. 15 to host the Indiana State Sycamores at the Knapp Center. The contest will start at 7 p.m. and be broadcasted on The Valley On ESPN3.