Valparaiso University men’s basketball freshman Cooper Schwieger (Overland Park, Kan. / Blue Valley Southwest [Link Year]) was recognized yet again by the Missouri Valley Conference on Monday as he was tabbed the league’s Freshman of the Week for the fifth time this season.

After missing Tuesday’s game at UNI due to illness, Schwieger poured in a career-high 28 points to lead all scorers in Valpo’s 75-72 victory over Illinois State on Sunday afternoon at the Athletics-Recreation Center. He hit big shot after big shot down the stretch, lifting the Beacons to the home win. Schwieger went 12-of-17 shooting and pulled down five rebounds in the regular-season finale. He achieved a career high in scoring for the second straight outing as his previous best of 26 came in his last game on Feb. 24 at Murray State.

This is the seventh time that a Beacon has captured an MVC weekly award this season, the program’s highest weekly award total since joining the conference. Schwieger was previously named MVC Freshman of the Week on Nov. 27, Jan. 15, Jan. 24 and Feb. 12, as this marks his conference-leading fifth Freshman of the Week award this year. Jahari Williamson earned that award on Jan. 2, and Isaiah Stafford was named MVC Newcomer of the Week on Nov. 20.

Schwieger leads all MVC freshmen in both scoring average and rebounding average, both overall and in league play. He is averaging 13.2 points per game and 5.3 rebounds per game overall, while averaging 14.6 ppg and 5.7 rpg in conference play.