ELON, N.C. — Raven Preston delivered two of the best performances by a freshman in the Charlotte Smith era last week. On Monday, the budding Elon women's basketball star was rewarded for her efforts by being named the CAA Rookie of the Week.
 
The weekly honor is the first of Preston's career. She's also the first Phoenix player to earn CAA Rookie of the Week honors since Jaylin Powell on Feb. 12, 2018.
 
After scoring 28 total points in her first four collegiate games, Preston exploded for 22 points and 15 rebounds as Elon rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit to outlast Old Dominion 71-68 Tuesday. She then scored 26 points – including 20 in the first half – on 10-for-15 shooting in the Phoenix's 77-68 victory at NC Central on Sunday.
 
The two scoring outbursts account for two of the top three by a freshman in Smith's 12-season tenure; only Zora Stephenson – who recorded 28 against Virginia Intermont on Nov. 18, 2011 – has scored more. Preston also joined Shay Burnett as the only freshmen to notch two 20-point games under Smith, and she's the first Elon freshman to post back-to-back 20-point games since Ali Ford had 24 against UNCG and 21 against Wofford on Feb. 27 and March 4, 2010.
 
Preston's 15 rebounds against Old Dominion tied for the third most by a Phoenix player and were the most by a freshman under Smith. They were also the most by a CAA freshman since UNCW's Taylor Webster had 19 against Norfolk State on Nov. 25, 2020.
 
With her 22 points and 15 boards against the Monarchs, Preston became the fifth player and the second freshman to post a 20-point, 10-rebound game under Smith. The 20-point, 10-rebound game was the first by a CAA freshman since Towson's Allie Kubek had 20 points and 14 rebounds against Drexel on Feb. 21, 2021.
 
Preston enters the fourth week of the regular season ranked 16th among all qualified CAA players and second among freshmen in scoring at 12.7 points per game. She's seventh overall and first among freshmen in rebounding at 8.2 boards per game.
 
Preston will look to continue her torrid stretch when Elon travels outside of North Carolina for the first time this season to face Howard on Friday. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. at Burr Gymnasium in Washington, D.C.