Park Ridge resident earns honors for Oakton women’s basketball

Ava Gardner, a Park Ridge resident who is a freshman guard for Oakton Community College women’s basketball team, was selected women’s basketball District 4 player of the week, according to the recent Region IV National Junior College Athletic Association report.

Gardner led the Owls, which compete at the Division II level, in scoring in contests against Illinois Valley Community College on Tuesday, Dec. 12, and Black Hawk College-Moline on Thursday, Dec. 14. For the week, she averaged 19 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists per game. Gardner, a graduate of Maine South High School, currently leads the Owls in scoring (14.1 points per game) and steals (1.9 per contest). On the season, she is also averaging 5.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game

“Ava has unique talents, including a beautiful three-point shot, along with great speed and vision to get to the basket,” Melissa Rauschenberg, head basketball coach of the Owls, said. “She is truly deserving of this honor as she pushed herself to a new level physically and mentally. I believe she has many more weeks like this to come during the remainder of the season.”