Feb. 4, 2008

LEWISBURG, Pa. - Hope Foster (Washington, D.C./Dunbar), a senior forward on the Bucknell women's basketball team, was named the Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week Monday after tallying her first 20-point game of the season and breaking the Patriot League career record for blocked shots.

Foster entered the week tied with Holy Cross' Kathy Courtney (1994-97) atop the Patriot League career blocks list with 309. She broke the record with her first block in Wednesday's 59-53 loss at Lehigh and now has 315 in her career. The co-captain now has 55 blocks this season and is just eight shy of holding the top four positions on Bucknell's single-season list.

In addition to a team-high three blocks in the loss to the Mountain Hawks, Foster tallied her first 20-point game in more than a year. She made 8 of 9 field goals and also paced the team with seven rebounds in 37 minutes of play.

In Sunday's tight 47-46 win at Army, which broke a four-game losing streak at Christl Arena for the Bison, Foster registered eight points, 10 rebounds and three more blocks. The 10 rebounds were second-most on the team and marked the 25th time Foster reached double figures in her decorated career. She also moved into ninth place on the Patriot League career rebounds list and now has 816 in her 109 career games.

Foster, who earlier this year became the 16th Bucknell player to score 1,000 points, now has 1,130 points in her career to stand 13th in Bison history.

The Bison Athlete of the Week honor is the second of Foster's career. She was last cited during her sophomore campaign.

Thanks to its hard-fought victory at Army, Bucknell improved to 9-12 overall and 4-3 in Patriot League play. The Bison are now just one game behind Army, Holy Cross and Lehigh, which are tied for first place in the league standings with matching 5-2 records.

Foster will lead Bucknell as its returns to action Saturday, Feb. 9, against Navy. The contest is slated to tip off at 7 p.m. at Sojka Pavilion. The Bison defeated the Mids 71-45 in Annapolis, Md., last month. The Bucknell Women's Basketball Alumni Game will take place in Sojka Pavilion at 4 p.m.