West Virginia University junior guard Liz Repella has been named to the 2009-10 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Women’s Basketball University Division first team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

A Steubenville, Ohio, native, Repella is one of five student-athletes to be named to the university division’s national first team. An exercise physiology major with a 3.95 G.P.A., Repella has led No. 8/8 West Virginia (24-3, 11-2) to its highest-ever national ranking this season.

A second team all-BIG EAST selection as a sophomore, she is the Mountaineers’ leading scorer this season, averaging 14.2 points per game. Named to the preseason all-BIG EAST team, she was also selected to the all-tournament team at the Preseason Women’s National Invitational Tournament. One of WVU’s two junior co-captains, she is also averaging 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.

“Liz is truly a student-athlete and this is something that West Virginia University should be very proud of for her efforts in the classroom,” coach Mike Carey says. “She is a tremendous role model both on and off the court for WVU. We are very proud of her.”

“I’m very honored by this award,” Repella says. “It is a true reflection on the amount of work I put into my studies as well as my efforts on the court. This is an award I’m tremendously proud of.”


Repella becomes the second CoSIDA Academic All-American in WVU women’s basketball program history, joining former All-American Rosemary Kosiorek who was named to the prestigious team in 1991 and 1992. Repella was a first team CoSIDA Academic All-District II performer last year.

She is joined on the national first team by Erin Anthony (Jr., 3.78 GPA in Civil Engineering/U.S. Military Academy); Angie Bjorklund (Jr., 3.80 GPA in Psychology/Tennessee); Kelsey Luna (Sr., 4.00 GPA in Psychology/Indiana State) and Maya Moore (Jr., 3.70 GPA in Individualized Major/Connecticut).

To be eligible, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.30 on a scale of 4.00, have reached sophomore athletic and academic standings at his/her current institution and be nominated by his/her sports information director.

Since the program’s inception in 1952, CoSIDA has bestowed Academic All-America honors on more than 15,000 student-athletes in Divisions I, II, III and NAIA, covering all NCAA championship sports.

ESPN The Magazine – winner of the 2006 and 2003 National Magazine Award for General Excellence – is a provocative and innovative sports publication. Full of insight, analysis, impact and wit, the oversized bi-weekly with a circulation of 1.9 million looks ahead to give fans a unique perspective on the world of sports.

For more information about the Academic All-America� Teams program, please visit www.cosida.com.

For More Information, Contact:
Phil Caskey, (304) 293-2821
Phil.Caskey@mail.wvu.edu