KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For the fifth time this 2025-26 regular season, senior center Olivia Smelas (Jim Thorpe, Pa./Jim Thorpe) has been voted the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Eastern Division Defensive Athlete of the Week, announced Monday.
 
In two games last week, both wins for Kutztown, Smelas was once again a leader defensively as she helped KU allow the lowest point totals back-to-back in eight games. In a 55-47 victory over Shippensburg last Wednesday, Smelas recorded four points, seven rebounds and four steals. In a 48-45 win at Bloomsburg, Smelas finished with a game-high 15 rebounds, eight of them defensively and added three steals and three assists. Smelas ranks fourth in the PSAC in rebounding at 9.5 rebounds per game, ranks at the top of the Eastern Division in steals with 63 (2.6 steals per game) and ranks ninth in blocks with 27.
 
The Golden Bears (15-9 overall, 11-6 PSAC) clinched a spot in the PSAC Tournament with their victory at Bloomsburg this past Saturday. They currently sit as the two seed in the East with four games to play this season.
 
Kutztown finishes up its regular season home slate this week with two games in a span of four days. KU first hosts Millersville this Wednesday, Feb. 18, at 5:30 p.m., and then welcomes Shepherd to Keystone Arena on Saturday for senior day at 1 p.m.