NEW YORK – Tina Charles of the New York Liberty and rookie Breanna Stewart of the Seattle Storm today were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Sept. 5 through Sept. 11.

Charles earned Player of the Week honors for a WNBA-record seventh time this season.  She has 21 such honors in her seven-year career, the second most in league history behind Tamika Catchings’ 22.  The 2012 WNBA Most Valuable Player led the WNBA in scoring (24.7 ppg) and placed fourth in rebounding (9.7 rpg) for the week as the Eastern Conference-leading Liberty (21-11) posted a 1-2 record.  Among East players, she finished second in blocks (2.33 bpg), tied for third in three-point shooting (.571, on 4-of-7 from behind the arc) and tied for sixth in assists (4.0 apg).

The former University of Connecticut standout opened her week with 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a 102-78 home loss to Seattle on Sept. 7.  Two days later, she notched the first of back-to-back double-doubles with a 23-point, 10-rebound effort as New York defeated the visiting Connecticut Sun, 89-82.  Charles capped the week by recording 29 points, 10 boards and five blocks in an 84-81 loss to the host Dallas Wings on Sept. 11.

For the season, Charles tops the WNBA in scoring (21.5 ppg) and rebounding (9.9 rpg).  The only players to finish a season as the league leader in both categories are Chamique Holdsclaw (2002) and Lauren Jackson (2007).

Stewart earned Player of the Week honors for the first time.  The No. 1 overall pick in WNBA Draft 2016 presented by State Farm led Seattle to a 3-0 week as the Storm improved to 15-17 and clinched a playoff berth for the first time since 2013.

Also a former UConn standout, Stewart tied for third among Western Conference players in scoring (20.0 ppg) for the week.  She also ranked third overall in rebounding (9.0 rpg), fourth in blocks (1.67 bpg), sixth in three-point shooting (.467, on 7-of-15 from behind the arc) and eighth in field goal percentage (.500, on 20-of-40 shooting).

The four-time NCAA champion opened the week with 23 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in a 102-78 win at New York.  Two days later, on Sept. 9, she logged a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards in an 81-76 win at the Washington Mystics.  Stewart capped the week with 20 points, eight rebounds and three assists in a 78-60 home win over the Los Angeles Sparks, who have the WNBA’s second-best record.

For the season, Stewart ranks second in the WNBA in rebounding (9.3 rpg), third in blocks (1.9 bpg) and sixth in scoring (18.4 ppg).  Stewart has won all three WNBA Rookie of the Month presented by Samsung awards this season.

Other candidates for the Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week were the Atlanta Dream’s Angel McCoughtry, the Chicago Sky’s Cappie Pondexter, Dallas’ Skylar Diggins, the Minnesota Lynx’s Maya Moore and the Phoenix Mercury’s Brittney Griner.

For more information on this week’s Players of the Week, visit www.wnba.com/awards.

2016 WNBA PLAYERS OF THE WEEK