LOUDONVILLE, NY—Francesca Schiro's breakout season has reached the national stage. Following her seventh Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Rookie of the Week honor and second Mid-Major Madness Player of the Week distinction, the Siena women's basketball standout has been named the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) Co-Freshman of the Week, the organization announced Tuesday.
 
Schiro shared the national honor with Kansas freshman Jaliya Davis, who averaged a double-double with 28.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game across two contests last week.
 
Schiro was dominant in nearly posting double-doubles in both games, delivering standout performances against Saint Peter's and Manhattan. She poured in 21 points with nine rebounds at Saint Peter's on Feb. 5 before following up with 24 points and a career-high nine assists at Manhattan on Feb. 8. With back-to-back 20-point outings, Schiro now has 11 such performances this season, including five consecutive. For the week, she averaged 22.5 points per game while shooting 46% from the field and an impressive 56% from three-point range, adding 7.5 rebounds and 6.5 assists per contest.
 
The Hillsborough, N.J. native continues to climb the national rankings, raising her scoring average to 17.7 points per game. She ranks second in the MAAC and fourth nationally among freshmen (59th overall), while also leading the conference in league-play scoring at 19.6 points per game.
 
Schiro and the Saints return to action on the road this week, opening with a 6 p.m. tipoff Thursday at Quinnipiac.
 
About USBWA
The 2025-26 season is the 70th year for the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, founded in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. The primary goal of the USBWA has remained constant since its inception: to serve the interests of journalists who cover college basketball.
 
The USBWA annually selects a national player, coach, and freshman of the year in college basketball and All-America teams for both men and women. The men's player of the year award is named in honor of former Cincinnati and NBA legend Oscar Robertson, who was the first recipient of the USBWA award in 1959. The women's award is named for UCLA legend Ann Meyers Drysdale.
 
The USBWA's men's coach of the year award is named for the legendary college and Olympic coaching great Henry Iba while the freshman of the year awards honor the late Oklahoma All-American Wayman Tisdale and Tennessee great Tamika Catchings.
 
The USBWA awards scholarships to students pursuing careers in sports journalism and to the sons or daughters of current members. Past and present members are also inducted each year into the USBWA Hall of Fame, honoring those who have made significant contributions to the USBWA and to the sports journalism profession.
 
In addition, the USBWA presents Most Courageous Awards in honor of Perry Wallace and Pat Summitt to those in college basketball who demonstrate extraordinary courage. The USBWA also honors individuals in college basketball with the Katha Quinn Award for men and the Mary Jo Haverbeck Award for women for service to the media or for the inspiration they provide to those in the sports journalism profession.