Women's Basketball | 11/20/2017 11:00:00 AM

FAIRFAX, Va. – Just more than a week into her first season with her new team and Natalie Butler is already receiving honors.

The George Mason center was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week, the league announced Monday. She was also named the Atlantic 10 Women's Basketball Player of the Week by College Sports Madness on Monday. The 6-foot-5 graduate student averaged 17.7 points, 14.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 blocks in three Patriot wins last week.

Butler, a native of nearby Fairfax Station, Va., is in her first season at Mason after spending the last two seasons at Connecticut. This past week, she posted three consecutive double-doubles, including a Mason-best 21 points and 16 rebounds against Old Dominion on Friday in the Preseason WNIT.

Her week started with 20 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks in a 80-72 victory at Loyola (Md.) on Tuesday. Then, in her first home game at Mason, she scored 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in a 66-53 victory over Old Dominion on Friday. She also shot 8 for 14 with two blocks and two steals.

She capped off her week with 12 points, 15 rebounds, three blocks and three assists in a 57-38 victory over Southeast Missouri State on Saturday for the Patriots' third straight win - their longest winning streak in nearly three years.

Butler currently ranks in the top 15 in the country with 13 rebounds a game. She is second on the team in scoring with 16.5 points and leads the team with nine blocks. Her .500 shooting percentage (26-52) is tied with freshman Camarie Gatling for best on the team.

The Patriots, off to their best start at 3-1 since the 2014-15 season, continue a four-game homestand against American at 7 p.m. on Monday at EagleBank Arena.