IRVING, Texas – The American Conference has announced the weekly women’s basketball honors for the first week of the 2026-27 season.

Player of the Week
Louann Battiston, Sr., G, Rice
Battiston played a key role for Rice during a 3-0 start to the new season, averaging 17.7 points and 5.7 assists per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the field and a conference-high 61.5 percent from 3-point range. Battiston scored 11 points and dished out eight assists against Houston Christian to open the season, then scored 22 points and added six assists against Murray State and logged 20 points, four rebounds and three assists versus Richmond during the Opening Statement.

Freshman of the Week
Jaelynn Housey, G, Florida Atlantic
Housey averaged 9.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists over the first three games of the season. Playing in a recently scheduled game against No. 4 Duke, Housey scored 10 points added three assists and three steals for Florida Atlantic.

Honorable Mention
Hailey Jackson, Jr., F, UAB
Jackson erupted for 31.5 points per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds per contest for 2-0 UAB. Jackson scored 29 points in the season opener against Fisk and followed it up with 34 points and seven rebounds in a win over South Alabama.

Anjanae Richardson, Sr., G, Memphis
Richardson scored 17.5 points and pulled down 7.5 rebounds per game while adding 3.5 steals per contest for 2-0 Memphis, narrowly missing a double-double with 12 points and nine boards versus Middle Tennessee.

Cherie Spencer, So., G, UNT
Spencer averaged 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game in a 1-1 UNT week, which included 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists against San Diego State.

Fatou Diakite, Sr., F, South Florida
Diakite scored 14.3 points per game for 2-1 South Florida, shooting 65.4 percent from the field. Diakite’s week featured a 13-point, nine-rebound performance in a win at Belmont during the Opening Statement.

Kaylah Turner, Sr., G, Temple
Turner averaged 20.0 points and 2.5 steals per contest for 1-1 Temple, logging 21 points and three steals in a setback against George Mason before bouncing back with 19 points, three assists and two steals in a win over Navy.