COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Fort Lewis College center Alex Herrera was named the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference/Baden Offensive Player of the Week, RMAC Assistant Commissioner Sarah Meier announced today.

“Alex has really become very consistent,” said 17th-year FLC head coach Bob Hofman. “He's always present for potential blocked shots. It's nice to see how his hard work is paying off. His potential to improve is still unbelievable.”
 
Herrera, who just two weeks ago swept the RMAC/Baden Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week awards, was nearly unstoppable this past weekend as Fort Lewis split its two road games in New Mexico.
 
The 6-foot-10, 235-lb. sophomore from Ignacio High School in Ignacio, Colo., averaged 21 points, nine rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots per game while shooting 84.2 percent from the field (16-of-19) and 71.4 percent from the line (10-of-14).
 
In Friday's 66-64 loss at Western New Mexico, Herrera notched his eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 12 rebounds. He was also perfect from the field, making all eight of his field goal attempts, and dominated the defensive end with 10 defensive rebounds and three blocks.
 
In Saturday's 83-74 win at New Mexico Highlands, Herrera scored 22 points while grabbing six rebounds and blocking four shots. He shot 72.7 percent from the field (8-of-11) and 75 percent from the line (6-of-8).
 
Although he's played less than two seasons in a Skyhawk uniform, Herrera already ranks sixth in school history in career blocked shots (82).
 
In his first season as a full-time starter, Herrera leads the RMAC in blocks (2.9 per game) and field goal shooting (62.1 percent). He also ranks among league leaders in defensive rebounds (third, 6.0 per game), rebounding (third, 8.9 per game), offensive rebounds (fourth, 2.9 per game) and scoring (13th, 15.2 points per game).
 
Salvaging a split on the road was important for No. 20 Fort Lewis (15-4 overall, 12-4 in the RMAC), which finds itself in a three-way battle for second place in the RMAC standings. Colorado Mesa (16-5, 13-4) currently owns second place by virtue of one more game played that Fort Lewis and No. 14 Adams State (14-5, 12-4). The Grizzlies — FLC's travel partner — dropped both games in New Mexico this weekend.
 
Fort Lewis plays its next four games in Whalen Gymnasium the next two weekends. Fifth-place Colorado State-Pueblo (10-12, 9-7) visits Durango on Friday, with UC-Colorado Springs (4-16, 4-12) coming to town on Saturday. Both games start at 7:30 p.m.
 
The Skyhawks swept their Pikes Peak Region road trip to start the 2012-13 league season, beating UC-Colorado Springs 72-69 on Nov. 30 and CSU-Pueblo 82-80 in overtime on Dec. 1.