Some weeks, one solid game is all it takes to be called the nation's best player for the week. Such was the case for Campbellsville University's Whitney Ballinger who was named the NAIA Division I Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Tuesday for the third time in five weeks. She was also named National Player of the Week by the National Christian College Athletic Association on Tuesday for the fourth time in five weeks.

Ballinger joins Brittany Smart of Cedarville University as the only women's basketball players to ever earn the honor three times in the same season.

The Carrollton, Ky. native was nominated for the national honor by being named the Mid-South Conference Player of the Week on Monday for the sixth time this season. Both honors come as a result of her 30 points and school-record 28 rebounds on Jan. 28 in a 68-65 overtime win at No. 12 University of the Cumberlands. The win gave eighth-ranked Campbellsville first place in the Mid-South Conference by itself after five games.

Ballinger also tallied two assists, three blocks and four steals in the contest, marking the 12^th time this season she has recorded at least three blocks. Ballinger has recorded five 30-point games and 11 double-doubles on the season.

The 6-foot-3 center ranks third nationally in points per game (21.1), rebounds per game (11.2) and blocks per game (3.3). According to available statistics since 2004, Ballinger is the first Division I women's basketball player to be named Player of the Week three times in the same season.

She  is also the fifth women's basketball player to earn an NAIA Player of the Week honor three times in a career. Sheena Bowling of the University of Montevallo was the last NAIA Division I player to do so in 1996, while Smart leads the way with seven career honors (twice in 2006 and three times in 2007) at the NAIA Division II level, according to NAIA archives. Sharon Houston of Indiana-Northwest  and Deb Remmerde of Northwestern College (Iowa) are the only others to earn the honor three times, each at the NAIA D-II level.

Campbellsville (21-1, 6-0 MSC) started a three game home stand Monday with a 112-52 win over St. Catharine College. Ballinger recorded 14 points, 11 rebounds and six blocks in only 17 minutes played to start the week. West Virginia Tech will come to town Thursday at 6 p.m., followed by Georgetown on Saturday at 2 p.m.