Valparaiso junior Tabitha Gerardot (Fort Wayne, Ind./Canterbury) has been named Horizon League Player of the Week for setting a pair of new career-highs and help the Crusaders rally from a 19-point deficit in the first half  in Valpo’s 58-53 win over Ball State on Saturday.

Gerardot scored a career-best 28 points on 8-of-18 shooting and 10-of-11 shooting at the free throw line. Her three-pointer with 6:19 left gave the Crusaders the lead for good at 47-44.

Her 17 rebounds also set a new career-high. She pulled down nine offensive rebounds, which accounted for half of the Crusaders’ total of 18. Valparaiso held a 47-27 rebounding edge.

The double-double was the second of the season for Gerardot and the 15^th of her Crusader career.

Gerardot received the HL Player of the Week recognition for the first time in her career, and she became the second Valparaiso player to get the honor this season, joining sophomore Shaquira Scott (Wilmette, Ill./Loyola Academy).

For her efforts, Gerardot has also been named Madness Horizon Women’s Basketball Player of the Week by College Sports Madness. The honor goes to the highest impact players nationally and in each conference. A complete list of weekly award winners can be found at http://www.collegesportsmadness.com/womens-basketball/weekly-awards.

The Crusaders return to action on Saturday and close out the non-conference portion of the schedule when they host Northern Illinois at 1:35 p.m.