chili wins weikert award

Muhlenberg junior Alexandra Chili received the Sidney G. Weikert Sophomore Athlete of the Year Award for her performance during the 2009-10 academic year at halftime of Saturday’s Homecoming football game.

The annual award recognizes athletic achievement with accompanying campus contribution and strong academic record. It was established in 1973 by the Muhlenberg College Alumni Association in memory of the late Sidney G. Weikert, a loyal alumnus and former associate director of admissions at Muhlenberg.

At right, Chili with Bob and Doug Weikert, Sidney’s brothers, and Nancy Weikert Tibbetts, his widow.

Chili helped the Mules to back-to-back Centennial Conference regular-season championships and NCAA Tournament berths and a record of 47-10 in her first two seasons. She was named to the All-CC first team and All-Mid-Atlantic Region second team in 2010 after leading the team in scoring (17.4 points per game), three-pointers (77) and blocked shots (22). She also earned a spot on the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll.

In 2009, Chili shattered the school record for three-pointers in a season (96; the old mark was 64) and ranked third in Division III in three-pointers per game. She was an All-CC second-team selection and Mid-Atlantic rookie of the year.

Chili also holds or shares school records for points in a season (480), three-pointers in a game (9) and assists by a freshman (118). She enters her junior year needing only 14 threes to become the program’s all-time leader and just 49 points away from 1,000 for her career.

Chili is the third women’s basketball player to win the coveted award in the last four years, following Kelly McKeon (2009) and Lauren Boyle (2007).