State College, Pa., March 3, 2003 - Penn State junior Kelly Mazzante (Montoursville, Pa.) has been named Big Ten Player of the Week for the period ending March 2, conference officials announced today.

The honor marks Mazzante fifth in 2002-03, which ties the Big Ten single-season record set by Minnesota's Lindsay Whalen in 2001-02.

Mazzante has now claimed a total of 12 Big Ten Player of the Week awards in her career, which is also a conference record.

The junior dropped in 35 points while adding a career-best seven assists and five steals in Penn State's 76-55 win over Wisconsin on Sunday, which clinched the outright Big Ten regular season title for the Lady Lions.

The 35 points marked Mazzante's fourth-highest scoring total of the season and the 23rd time in her career and ninth time this season that she has scored at least 30 points. She finished 13-of-22 overall from the field vs. the Badgers, including 6-of-12 from beyond the 3-point arc. The 13 field goals marked the most the guard has made in a single-game this season.

Mazzante didn't waste any time in setting the tone in the win over Wisconsin as she sank a pair of 3-pointers in the opening 90 seconds of action to spark a game-opening 10-0 run.

Mazzante has scored in double-figures in 29 of the Lady Lions' 30 games this season and has scored at least 20 points on 22 occasions.

The Big Ten previously honored Mazzante this season as the player of the week on Nov. 18, Nov. 25, Jan. 13 & Feb. 3.

The Lady Lions open play at the 2003 Big Ten Women's Basketball Tournament on Friday, March 7 beginning at 12:00 p.m. (ET) at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.