July 24, 2003

GREENSBORO, N.C. - For only the second time in school history, a Duke University student-athlete has been named the winner of the Mary Garber Award as Alana Beard was selected the top Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) female student-athlete for the 2002-03 academic year on Thursday, which was voted on by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

The Mary Garber Award, named for a retired Winston-Salem Journal sportswriter, was created in 1990 and only former four-time All-America Vanessa Webb has won it from Duke, in 1998.

In the voting, Beard finished with 35 votes ahead of North Carolina cross country and track and field performer Shalane Flanagan who totaled nine votes. Virginia lacrosse player Lauren Aumiller was third with four votes followed by Maryland lacrosse player Kelly Coppedge who tallied three votes. Rounding out the voting was Clemson track and field performer Gisele Oliveira and Wake Forest field hockey player Heather Aughinbaugh with one vote apiece.

Beard, a Shreveport, La., native was selected as the ESPN.com and Victor Award recipient as the National Player of the Year. The 5-11 rising senior earned unanimous Associated Press, USBWA and Kodak first-team All-America honors and was a nominee for the Women's Basketball Honda Award. Beard also became only the second Duke men's or women's player to register over 2,000 career points in three years (Jason Williams).

In the league, Beard was named ACC Player of the Year, first-team All-ACC, All-ACC Defensive team and ACC first-team All-Tournament. She then went on to receive an NCAA Final Four All-Tournament selection, was runner-up for the second straight year for Associated Press National Player of the Year, NCAA Midwest Region MVP and Wade Trophy and Naismith Finalist for National Player of the Year.

Statistically speaking, she ranked eighth in the NCAA with a 22.0 scoring average, tops in the ACC while setting an ACC record with six Player of the Week selections in a season. She set five single season and three single game Duke records while ranking sixth in rebounding (6.9), fourth in field goal percentage (.527), 12th in assists (2.97), fifth in free throw percentage (.776), second in steals (2.81) and fourth in blocks (1.30) in the ACC.

Beard led Duke to an ACC record 35 victories, its fourth straight ACC Championship, third straight ACC Regular Season title, second straight NCAA Final Four and 43 consecutive win against ACC opponents.