TROY, N.Y. – The Liberty League has announced its weekly awards in women’s basketball and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) student-athlete Kristi Baranowski has been selected as the Forward of the Week.

A native of Liverpool, N.Y., Baranowski averaged 11.5 points and 9.5 rebounds while helping Rensselaer to a 1-1 record last week. She made 57.9% (11 for 19) of her shots from the floor with an assist and four steals.

In Rensselaer’s 57-50 win at Skidmore, the senior captain had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds – both team highs – with an assist and a steal in 31 minutes. She then scored ten points with nine rebounds and three steals in 28 minutes of a 67-58 loss at Union the following day.

A former standout at Liverpool High School, Baranowski currently leads the Red Hawks in rebounding, averaging 8.1 per game, and is second in scoring with 9.3 points per contest. She also has 13 assists, 12 blocks, and 26 steals while averaging 25.9 minutes per game. She has led the team in scoring in four games and paced the team in rebounding in a team-high ten.

In the Liberty League, Baranowski is fifth in rebounding average, including fourth in offensive rebounds (3.00 per game). She is 12th in blocks per game (0.55 average) and field-goal percentage (43.0 percent).

Baranowski, who was recently selected to the 2007 ESPN the Magazine College Division District 1 Women’s Basketball All-Academic Third Team, has now earned Forward of the Week honors twice.

Rensselaer, which is 14-8 and 7-4 in the Liberty League, is currently tied for third in the league standings. The Red Hawks host Vassar on tonight at Robison Gym (6pm). They close out the regular season on Friday and Saturday at William Smith (6pm) and Hamilton (2pm).