Feb. 8, 2007

Joanna Chadd of the Eastern Washington University women's basketball team has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 8 first team, having served as one of Eastern's best players, both on the court and in the classroom. The senior has earned a 3.96 cumulative GPA while majoring in exercise science, is ranked in the top-100 nationally in three-point shooting and is steadily rising up Eastern's school record charts in a variety of categories.

"I am really happy for Jo," head coach Wendy Schuller said. "She is very deserving of any honor and award she receives. She is an extremely hard-working player. It has been a pleasure to coach her the last four years, and I like to see her career culminate in receiving an award like this."

This is the second straight year that Chadd has earned first team honors. She also has helped lead the Eagles to appearances on the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Academic Honor Roll Top 25 each of her previous three seasons at Eastern (the 2006-07 set of rankings has not come out yet). The Eagles placed third or higher in each of those seasons, including a No. 1 ranking in Chadd's freshman year of 2003-04.

On the court, Chadd not only appears twice on the national rankings, but also is steadily moving up various school-record charts.

Her three-point shooting percentage of 35.7 ranks her 74th nationally (and ninth among Big Sky Conference players) and her average of 2.2 three-point field goals made per game places her 66th nationally and fourth in the conference. She is shooting 46-of-55 on free throws (83.6 percent), ranking fourth in the conference (minimum 2.0 makes per contest), but is just shy of the minimum number of attempts to achieve notice on the national-leader charts (2.5 makes per game). She would be tied for the 50th slot.

Her 51 made three-pointers this year places her fourth on the EWU single-season record chart, while her career total of 162 places her third on that list. Her career three-point shooting percentage of 34.0 currently places her fourth in Eastern history. She also has seen success in free throw shooting, as her career 76.3 percent shooting from the charity stripe is the second highest in school annals.

Also named to the first team with Chadd were Gonzaga's Stephanie Hawk and Jami Bjorklund, Loyola Marymount's Jennifer Hall and Washington State's Kate Benz.

As a member of a district's first team (there are eight districts nationally), she will be considered for ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America honors. Voting for that prestigious honor will commence next week and finish the week after, and the members will be announced on Feb. 27.

ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 8 First Team

Joanna Chadd, Eastern Washington - senior, 3.96 GPA, exercise science

Stephanie Hawk, Gonzaga - graduate, 3.60 GPA, business administration/MBA

Jami Bjorklund, Gonzaga - sophomore, 3.93 GPA, business administration

Kate Benz, Washington State - senior, 3.82 GPA, communication/history

Jennifer Hall, Loyola Marymount - junior, 3.79 GPA, communication studies

ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 8 Second Team

Anne Graner, Portland - senior, 3.97 GPA, elementary education

Rachel Warren, Portland - junior, 3.85 GPA, global business/accounting

Kelsey Kahle, Portland State - sophomore, 3.72 GPA, English

Emily Westerberg, Arizona State - senior, 3.61 GPA, elementary education

Aubree Johnson, Arizona State - senior, 3.62 GPA, kinesiology

Lindsey Pluimer, UCLA - junior, 3.68 GPA, communication studies

ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District 8 Third Team

Noelle Quinn, UCLA - senior, 3.21 GPA, sociology

Lisa Olden, San Francisco - junior, 3.92 GPA, business

Ashley Graham, Santa Clara - senior, 3.63 GPA, psychology

Brooke Smith, Stanford - senior, 3.25 GPA, human biology

Delaney Conway, Portland State - junior, 3.99 GPA, science

Chantella Perera, Fresno State - senior, 3.62 GPA, business management