LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced their weekly women's basketball award winners on Monday. Clarion's Madison Palek earned PSAC West Defensive Athlete of the Week honors for Feb. 24.
 
Palek helped the Golden Eagles clinch their first PSAC Tournament berth since 2017 last Wednesday, as Clarion beat Slippery Rock on the road to lock up a spot in the postseason. Palek filled the defensive stat sheet with nine rebounds, four blocked shots and a steal as the Golden Eagles defeated the Rock 76-58. She also accounted for eight points on 4-of-9 shooting from the field.
 
With last week's win over The Rock, Clarion is guaranteed to finish the regular season with at least a .500 record, one year after winning just a single game. The Golden Eagles have already improved their record by 13 games from a year ago. Palek is averaging 4.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, and her 37 blocked shots ranks fourth in the PSAC this season.