Hofstra University junior center Vanessa Gidden (Stamford, CT/Stamford) earned her second weekly award in the past three days as she was named Long Island Newsday's Female Athlete of the Week, it was announced today by the newspaper.  On Monday Gidden was named PrestoSports/MBWA Player of the Week as well.

Gidden was chosen from a pool of female athletes in all sports representing all three college divisions on Long Island.

Gidden got started with a 16-point, 12-rebound effort at Harvard last Thursday to help Hofstra to a 82-68 road victory over the defending co-Ivy League champions.

Against the Crimson, Gidden picked up her team-high third double-double of the season. The 6'3" center posted game-highs of 16 points and 12 rebounds as Hofstra at that point improved to 5-4 this season through the completion of its non-conference schedule. In 33 minutes of action, Gidden connected on seven of 13 shots from the field, while grabbing 12 rebounds, eight of which came on the offensive end.

She followed that effort up by tying for team-high honors with 15 points and pulling down a team-best nine rebounds in the Pride's 79-76 Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) victory over Northeastern on Monday.  Gidden was once again strong on the offensive end, as seven of her nine rebounds came on the offensive end.

The win moved Hofstra's record to 6-4 overall and 1-0 in the CAA, and Gidden averaged 15.5 points and 10.5 rebounds in the Pride's two games.  The victory was Hofstra's second straight and the Pride is now 5-1 in its six road games this season.  The last time Hofstra had more than five wins in a season was during the 1996-97 campaign when Hofstra picked up six road victories.

The 6-4 start to the season is tied for Hofstra's third-best ever since becoming Division I beginning with the 1982-83 season.

Hofstra returns to action on Friday when they travel to Towson for a 7:30 p.m. contest.  That game will be the final road game in a 46-day stretch that will have seen Hofstra play just one home game from November 23-January 7.

Hofstra is next in action at Hofstra Arena on Sunday when Drexel visits for a 2 p.m. tip.  In a game Newsday billed as one of its three "Games to Watch", the Pride will play at home for the first time since a December 11 game vs. St. John's.

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