ALIA FISCHER OF UNDEFEATED WASHINGTON (Mo.) UNIVERSITY NAMED TO GTE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICAWOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM

Washington (Mo.) University's Alia Fischer, a standout player on the top-ranked team in Division III, was named to the GTE Academic All-America Women's Basketball Team announced today by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Fischer, who is averaging 17 points and seven rebounds per game, is a senior from Rochester, Minn., with a 3.84 Grade Point Average (GPA) as a French & business major who was named the College Division's GTE Academic All-America Team Member of the Year. The Bears have won 66 straight games, an NCAA women's record for all divisions, and have won the last two national titles. They face Scranton in the NCAA Division III semifinals tomorrow.

Joining Fischer on the College Division first team are Shannon Auler of St. Mary's (Ind.), a senior from Terre Haute, Ind. (3.92/elementary educaton); Emily Bloss of Emporia St., a junior from Wellsville, Kan. whose team is in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals (3.93/recreation); Bess Greenberg of Binghamton, a junior from Vestal, N.Y. (3.84/English); and Chantel Mize of Texas Lutheran, a senior from Weslaco, Texas (4.00/kinesiology).

The University Division's first team includes Team Member of the Year Lisa Baswell of Jacksonville St., a graduate student from Locust Fork, Ala. (4.00/special education); and two players who led their team to the NCAA tournament - Karalyn Church of Vermont, a senior from Guelph, Ontario (3.66/psychology); and Ruth Riley of Notre Dame, a junior from Macy, Ind. (3.65/psychology). Rounding out the first team are Kera Alexander of Texas A&M;, a senior from Whitesboro, Texas (4.00/computer science); and Jennifer Crow of Oklahoma St., a senior from Corn, Okla. (3.89/elementary education).

The GTE Academic All-America Teams are selected by a vote of the 1,800-member CoSIDA. To be eligible, an athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve and maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.20 on a scale of 4.00. Sports information directors nominate eligible athletes from their schools who are named to district teams prior to being voted upon the national level. CoSIDA has been selecting Academic All-America Teams since 1952.

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Following is a list of the 2000 GTE Academic All-America Women's Basketball Teams in the University and College Divisions:

2000 GTE ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL TEAMS

UNIVERSITY DIVISION FIRST TEAM

UNIVERSITY DIVISION SECOND TEAM

UNIVERSITY DIVISION THIRD TEAM

* GTE Academic All-America
Team Member of the Year - University Division

COLLEGE DIVISION FIRST TEAM

COLLEGE DIVISION SECOND TEAM

COLLEGE DIVISION THIRD TEAM

** GTE Academic All-America Team Member of the Year - College Division