By Michael Eldridge | @DFWSportsMike

ARLINGTON, Texas - UT Arlington sophomore Rebekah VanDijk earned the team's first Sun Belt Student-Athlete of the Week award of the season, the league office announced on Monday.

VanDijk produced a career-high 33 points against Texas State to start off the week. The effort was tied for the second best scoring effort of the season in the Sun Belt. The honor is just the second for UTA in the team's three-year history in the conference, joining Desherra Nwanguma in 2014.

"It is very well deserved," UT Arlington coach Krista Gerlich said. "It was a great breakout game from her. She had a dominating performance this week. It is great that she got that recognition. She has worked really hard all year long and has battled through the sophomore slump. It is great that she is playing her best basketball at the end of the season."

The Nazareth, Texas native scored 21.0 points per game during UTA's final three contests of the regular season, adding a 21-point night in the finale against Troy. The sophomore tallied six blocks during the week to become UTA's fifth play in history to record more than 100 in a career.

VanDijk finished the regular season 12th in the conference in scoring at 12.2 points per game and second in rebounds per game at 8.9.

UTA opens the Sun Belt Championship on Wednesday as the No. 6 seed and will take on No. 3 Louisiana at 7:30 p.m. at Lakefront Arena in New Orleans.