Former LCA Bulldog Avery Mills Earns CUSA Player of the Week

From Liberty Athletics

LYNCHBURG, Va. – Liberty sophomore guard Avery Mills earned her first career CUSA Player of the Week honor after leading the Lady Flames to a pair of road victories to begin conference play.

Mills is Liberty's (8-5, 2-0 CUSA) first CUSA weekly award winner of the 2025-26 campaign and the Lady Flames' first CUSA Player of the Week since March 4, 2024 (Emma Hess).

The Lynchburg, Va., native paced Liberty in points (23.5 ppg), blocked shots (1.0 bpg), field goal percentage (66.7), three-pointers (11) and three-point field goal percentage (68.8) for the week.

She scored a career-high 25 points during a 67-62 win at New Mexico State on Friday, 21 of which came after halftime. Liberty trailed for most of the contest before taking the lead for good with an 11-0 fourth quarter run. Mills accounted for eight of the decisive surge's 11 points.

Mills' 25 points against the Aggies were the most by a Lady Flame since Nov. 16, 2024 (Bella Smuda – 27 points at Tennessee). Her 21 second-half points were the most a Liberty player has scored in a half since Feb. 29, 2024 (Hess – 24 second-half points at New Mexico State).

Two days later, Mills paced all players with 22 points as Liberty became just the second visiting team to win at UTEP this season, 86-66. She connected on a career-high six three-pointers (most by a Lady Flame since Hess had six vs. Valparaiso on Nov. 4, 2024), while also adding five rebounds, three assists, a steal and a career-high two blocked shots against the Miners.

Mills shot a scorching 68.8 percent (11-of-16) from three-point range for the week, giving her a CUSA-leading 43 triples for the season. She has already eclipsed her freshman season total of 42 three-pointers and currently ranks No. 19 in program history with 85 career long-distance connections.

Mills is also climbing the charts nationally. She currently ranks No. 4 in the NCAA for three-pointers per game (3.31), No. 20 for total three-pointers (43) and No. 32 for three-point field goal percentage (43.4).

Mills and the Lady Flames will host Sam Houston (8-4, 1-0 CUSA) on Thursday for their CUSA home opener. Tipoff has moved to 5 p.m. at Liberty Arena, and the game will air on ESPN+.