Olivia Smelas, Jim Thorpe graduate and a senior forward on Kutztown’s women’s basketball team, was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division’s Defensive Athlete of the Week.

Smelas seemed to make a living collecting missed shots near the basket. In two games last week, the former Olympian averaged 6.5 points per game, 11.5 rebounds per game, four assists per game and three steals per game in 31.5 minutes per game.

In a victory over Wilmington last Monday night, Smelas finished with six points, eight rebounds, a career-high six assists and a block. Against nationally-ranked IUP on Friday, Smelas recorded seven points, a season-best 15 rebounds, including six offensive, a career-high six steals, two assists and two blocks.

Smelas is tied for sixth in the conference with 3.0 offensive rebounds per game.

For her career, the former JT standout has scored 629 points and pulled down 596 rebounds. She also had 152 assists, 90 blocks and 117 steals.