ST. LOUIS – Freshman Sara Rhine (Eldon, Mo.) of the Drake University women's basketball team won her league-leading fifth Missouri Valley Conference Women's Basketball Newcomer of the Week award, the league announced Monday, March 7.

Rhine, a forward, averaged 15.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.5 steals in Drake's wins over Evansville and Southern Illinois to close the regular season. She started the week by scoring 19 points, including nine in the final five minutes, in the win over Evansville, adding five boards, and one block. In Drake's win over SIU, Rhine scored 11 second-half points, after being held scoreless in the first two quarters, adding seven rebounds and a career-high three steals.

This season, Rhine is averaging 13.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per game while leading the MVC in field goal percentage at a 63.1 clip. Rhine has previously won the MVC's newcomer of the week award on Jan. 4 & 11 and Feb. 8 & 29.

Drake begins play at the 2016 MVC Tournament in Moline, Ill. on Friday, March 11 at 6 p.m. The Bulldogs as the number two seed will play the winner of No. 7 Illinois State and No. 10 Evansville.