For the second time this season, Valparaiso University men’s basketball freshman Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest [Link Year]) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Week.

The Valpo rookie averaged a double-double of 12.5 points and 10.0 rebounds over two contests this week. He scored a team-high 16 points in Sunday’s victory at Illinois State as the Beacons earned their first MVC win and first road win. Schwieger went 6-for-6 at the free-throw line and 5-for-7 from the field against the Redbirds. He made key contributions on the defensive end as Valpo turned in its best defensive field goal percentage in a road game in eight years. Schwieger also pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds in Bloomington-Normal to form his first collegiate double-double.

Schwieger tallied nine points and seven boards on 4-of-5 shooting in Wednesday’s game vs. Southern Illinois and shot 75 percent (9-of-12) combined between the two games this week. He also rejected two Saluki shots.

This is the fourth time a Beacon has captured an MVC weekly honor this season. Schwieger was previously named MVC Freshman of the Week on Nov. 27, while Jahari Williamson earned that award on Jan. 2. Isaiah Stafford was tabbed MVC Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 20. This season has already tied for the program’s most MVC weekly awards since joining the conference.