ALFRED, NY -- First-year Ana Ion (Bucharest, NY/Episcopal School of Jacksonville) has earned her fifth Empire 8 Women's Basketball Rookie of the Week for a program record as well as an Alfred University record for most Rookie of the Week Honors as made official in an announcement by Associate Commissioner, Joe Venniro on Monday.

Ion led the Saxons in the season finale, defeating Houghton College 64-60 on Saturday. This is the first time since the 2001-02 season that Alfred University won three Empire 8 Conference games in a row. Ion led four Saxons in double-digit scoring as she scored 16 points from five field goals (two 3-pointers) and four free throws. Ion also pulled down a team-high seven rebounds. Ion finished her inaugural season with a team-high 293 points and 43 3-pointers. She also led the Saxons in overall made field goals with 106. Ion's 16 points on Saturday was her 18^th game this season of double-digit points.

Between Ion's five Empire 8 Women's Basketball Rookie of the Week Honors and Gillian Flint's (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia-Mumford) Empire 8 Women's Basketball Player of the Week Honors, the Alfred University women's basketball team has earned the most E8 Weekly Awards in program history and is tied for third among all AU programs for season honors. Men's basketball recorded nine honors last season, football had seven in 2016 and men's track had six in 2016-17 as well.