Murray State University Athletics
Guffeys Named To CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams
2/11/2008 6:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Murray State women's basketball players Amber Guffey and Paige Guffey were named to College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 4 teams, according to a release issued by CoSIDA. Amber was named to the All-District 4 Second Team, while Paige was named to the All-District 4 Third Team. The CoSIDA Academic All-American Awards are also sponsored by ESPN: The Magazine.
Amber Guffey was the highest vote-getter on District 4's Second Team, barely missing the First Team, which is automatically placed on the national ballot for CoSIDA Academic All-American. District 4 is comprised of colleges and universities in Kentucky, Alabama, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.
Amber and Paige are twin sisters from Albany, Ky., and have been playing basketball together since middle school.
"I am glad that Amber and Paige's academic achievements are receiving recognition," said MSU head coach Jody Adams. "There is a balance in being a student-athlete, and it is very hard to be successful at both. Amber and Paige are among those special few who are able to do that. I am proud of this achievement and what it means to them and to this team."
"This is a nice honor for Amber and Paige, and well deserved," said Allen Ward, MSU director of athletics. "Not only are they both talented athletes, but excellent students as well. I congratulate them on this achievement.
Named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 Second Team -- with classification, grade-point averages and major -- were: Amber Guffey, Murray State (Jr., 3.95, physical education and health); Jill Stephens, Cincinnati (Jr., 3.95, communication sciences and disorders); Lauren Branson, Youngstown State (Sr., 3.93, special education); Jessica Pike, Oakland (Jr., 3.93, wellness/health/injury prevention); and Karah Cloxton, Dayton (Sr., 3.95, exercise science and fitness management).
Named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 Third Team were: Paige Guffey, Murray State (Jr., 3.97, physical education and health); Allyssa DeHaan, Michigan State (Soph., 3.38, pre-med); Brandi Brown, Middle Tennessee State (Soph., 3.97, accounting); Christina Wurth, Vanderbilt (Jr., 3.52, human and organizational development); and Brooke Sunday, Belmont (Sr., 3.70, social work).
Named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 First Team were: Candace Parker, Tennessee (Jr., 3.35, sport management); Lauren Kohn, Ohio (Sr., 3.82, communications and public advocacy); Chelsea Chowning, Kentucky (Grad., 4.00, pharmacy); Whitney Lewis, Wright State (Sr., 3.97, human factors psychology); and Nicky Anosike, Tennessee (Sr., 3.77, sociology/criminal justice/political science/legal studies).
Amber Guffey is a 5-7 junior guard and a starter for the Racers this year. She currently leads the Ohio Valley Conference with 18.9 points per game and leads the Racers with 4.6 assists per game and 2.3 three-pointers per game. She is shooting .439 from the field and from three-point range, and is among the top 10 free-throw shooters in the nation at 90.7 percent. Last year, she was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 Third Team, the only player in the OVC to earn any CoSIDA academic honors.
Paige Guffey is a 5-8 junior guard and an important reserve for the Racers this season. Although she is hitting 75 percent inside the arc, she is also known for shooting long-range three-point shots. She is also outstanding from the free-throw line, making 90.5 percent of her free-throw attempts.
Those nominated for CoSIDA Academic All-American must be a starter or important reserve with at least a 3.20 cumulative grade-point average (on a 4.0 scale). No athlete is eligible until he has reached sophomore athletic and academic standing at his current institution (thus, true freshmen, red-shirt freshmen and ineligible transfers are not eligible). In the cases of transfers, graduate students and junior college graduates, the athlete must have completed one full academic year at the nominating institution to be eligible.
