VALDOSTA, Ga. – Valdosta State senior men's basketball forward Drew Mills and junior women's basketball guard Erin Whalen were named Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week.  This marks the third honor of the season for Mills and fifth for Whalen.
 
Mills put together a week for the ages as he helped lead VSU to a 2-0 record including a huge 101-83 victory over preseason league-favorite Montevallo.  The Blazers then ran their winning streak to five games with a 110-80 win over Auburn Montgomery.  
 
The Baltimore, Md., native, Mills, became the first Blazer to score 30-plus points in back-to-back games since former Blazer Beau Justice did it in during the 2017-18 season.  Mills dropped 31 points, one steal and one rebound in the win over Montevallo as he shot 73.6% from the floor, making 14 of his 19 attempted shots. He also shot 75% from the free throw line, making 3 of 4.  
 
He followed that outstanding performance with 31 points again and 11 rebounds while shooting 66.6% from the floor, making 14 of his 21 attempted shots. For the weekend, Mills averaged 31 points per game and six rebounds per game, while shooting 70% from the floor on 28 of 40 from the field and 6 of 7 from the line.  The 31 points by Mills were the most in his Blazer career and the first time scoring over 30 points.  This season, he leads the team averaging 18.0 points per game and 5.9 rebounds per contest.
 
Whalen, a native of Cumming, Ga., had another standout week for the Lady Blazers in a pair of wins over Montevallo and AUM.  Whalen scored 13 points and seven rebounds on 6 of 11 from the field with one triple (1 of 4) and five steals against Montevallo in the 66-51 win, while she followed that with 19 points and seven rebounds in a 74-65 win over AUM.  She finished 8 of 18 from the field against the Warhawks, 1 of 3 from deep and 2 of 3 from the line, while recording two steals.  For the week, Whalen scored 31 points, 14 rebounds and went 14 of 29 from the field, 2 of 7 from deep and 2 of 3 from the line with seven steals.  
 
The Blazers and Lady Blazers return to the road this week as they head to The University of Alabama in Huntsville for a Thursday doubleheader beginning at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by a Saturday, Jan. 24, doubleheader at West Alabama beginning at 3 p.m. ET.  
 
Steel's Jewelry Blazer Athletes of the Week
Oct. 20, 2025 – Eimy Negron Domenech (Volleyball) / Elad Sebbag (Men's Golf)
Oct. 27, 2025 – Kaitlyn Scherer (Women's Soccer) / Mark Robinson (Football)
Nov. 3, 2025 – Taylor Youmans (Women's Soccer) / Council Allen (Football)
Nov. 10, 2025 – Eimy Negron Domenech (Volleyball) / Corey Reddick, Jr. (Football)
Nov. 17, 2025 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Matt Rolader (Football)
Nov. 24, 2025 – Aryana Hicks (Women's Basketball) / Blaise Wallace (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 1, 2025 – Aryana Hicks (Women's Basketball) / MJ Jones (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 8, 2025 – Alina Martin (Women's Basketball) / Samarion Bond (Men's Basketball)
Dec. 16, 2025 – Amaya Broadus (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Dec 22, 2025 –  Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 5, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Lucas Brown Jr. (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 12, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Peter McKey (Men's Basketball)
Jan. 20, 2026 – Erin Whalen (Women's Basketball) / Drew Mills (Men's Basketball)