April 11, 2008

Complete 1-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team in PDF Format

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Gonzaga University junior women's basketball player Jami Bjorklund has been selected to the 2008 Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Team as selected by the I-AAA Athletic Directors Association.

This is the fifth year this team has been recognized to honor student-athletes playing for schools classified as I-AAA (non-football playing institutions).

Bjorklund, a Spokane native and graduate of University High, holds a 3.94 GPA in business administration. She was also named to the ESPN The Magazine/College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) District VIII All-Academic team this season.

She earned West Coast Conference honorable mention honors and was named the WCC Defensive Player of the Year this past season after helping the Bulldogs rank second in the WCC in scoring defense during conference play, the Zags surrendering just 63.0 ppg against conference opponents. She averaged 9.2 ppg and 4.4 rpg while starting all 34 games for the Bulldogs. Gonzaga finished 25-9 overall and advanced to the second round of the Women's National Invitational Tournament.

Basketball players from all Division I-AAA ADA member institutions are eligible for these prestigious awards. Each of the nominees was required to have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 (on a 4.00 scale) in undergraduate study and have been a starter or important reserve with legitimate athletics credentials. Student-athletes must have reached sophomore athletics and academic standing at the nominated institution and have completed a minimum of one full academic year at the nominated institution. Honorees must also have participated in 50 percent of the games played at their designated position.

Additionally, from the Scholar-Athlete team, one student-athlete was selected as the Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Receiving the women's honor was Allie Quigley, a junior from DePaul University, with a 3.72 GPA in physical education. Quigley also won the award last year.