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W&J's Jessica Barby Named First Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America
WASHINGTON, Pa. -- For the second consecutive year, Washington & Jefferson College senior water polo player Jessica Barby (Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson) has been named to the ESPN The Magazine/College Sports Information Directors (CoSIDA) College Division Women’s At-Large Academic All-America Team. Barby is one of 16 athletes selected to the First Team.
A third-team choice a year ago, Barby is the 11th W&J student-athlete in school history to earn the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-America award twice. She is also just the eighth President to be selected to a first team.
In addition, she becomes the first Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) women's student-athlete to earn back-to-back Academic All-America honors as she joins Gannon's Sonya Pyle and Rishae Wood who earned First and Third team honors, respectively, in 2004. Macalester College, which joined the CWPA earlier this year, also boasts one women's Academic All-America selection as Kate Larson earned Third Team honors in 2005.
Barby is one of three water polo players named to the national academic All-America team among both University (Division I) and College (Division II, III, and NAIA) divisions. California Lutheran seniors Meredith Butte and Bobby Sanders joined Barby on the First-Team college division squad.
The Women’s At-Large program for Academic All-America® includes the sports of bowling, crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, skiing, tennis and water polo.
Barby graduated from W&J on May 22 with a degree in child development education. She finished with a 3.96 grade-point average.
Barby enjoyed a record-breaking senior year as she became Washington & Jefferson’s single-season goal scoring leader after firing in 69 goals this spring. She also added 21 assists for 90 total points.
Following the season, Barby was selected to the Collegiate Water Polo Association Women’s All-Conference Division III First Team. She was also named the April 16 CWPA Co-Player of the Week after a career-high, eight-goal performance against Penn State-Behrend at the CWPA Tournament (Apr. 10-11) in New London, Conn.
During her career, Washington & Jefferson recorded 37 victories and made a pair of Collegiate III Tournament appearances. Under her leadership, the 2009 Presidents set a school record with 11 victories. Barby ended her career with 144 goals and 87 assists for 231 career points. She also recorded 56 career steals.
To be eligible for Academic All-America® consideration, a student-athlete must be a varsity starter or key reserve, maintain a cumulative G.P.A. 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.
Release courtesy
W&J Athletic Communications
