June 28, 2007

GREENSBORO, N.C. - First-team All-ACC members Alison Bales of Duke and Crystal Langhorne of Maryland headline this year's All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Women's Basketball Team. Sixteen student-athletes, including five 2006-07 all-conference team selections, were recognized following their academic accomplishments, as announced Thursday by Commissioner John D. Swofford.

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during her academic career.

Bales also earned this year's Lowe's Senior CLASS Award for women's basketball; an honor that recognizes the complete student-athlete, displaying characteristics such as excellence in the classroom, character and community, as well as performance on the court.

Five players, including Maryland guard Shay Doron, are repeaters from previous league all-academic teams. The Terrapin senior picked up her third All-ACC academic team accolade, while Alicia Gladden (FSU), Sarah Marshall (BC), Laura Haskins (VT), and Langhorne gained back-to-back annual honors.

Florida State and Maryland both tallied a trio of student-athletes on the Academic All-ACC list as nine of the league's 12 institutions were represented. Joining Gladden for the Seminoles is senior center Nikki Anthony and sophomore guard Mara Freshour, while rounding out the Terps is senior center Aurelie Noirez.

Three of the top 15 2006-07 scoring leaders were named to the academic honor, including Boston College senior center Kathrin Ress, who averaged 16.4 points per game; a mark that ranked fourth in the ACC. In addition to Ress' contributions, Langhorne, who tallied 11 double-doubles on the season, and second team All-ACC member Abby Waner earned All-ACC Academic team recognition. Langhorne's 14.9 and Waner's 14.1 scoring average ranked ninth and 13th, respectively in the league.

Wrapping up this year's academic award list is senior center Amy Audibert (UM), sophomore guard Brittany Cook (VT), freshman forward Jayna Hartig (UVa), sophomore forward Alex Tchangoue (WF), and sophomore guard Susan Yenser (CU).