Academic Honors for Battista at Bentley University

(Press release from Bentley University)

 

Bentley University sophomore forward Lauren Battista (North Easton/ Oliver Ames HS) has been selected for the 2012 Capital One Division II Academic All-District 1 Women's Basketball Team by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). District 1 includes the Northeast-10 Conference, the East Coast Conference and the Central Athletic Collegiate Conference.

Battista will now advance to the national ballot for Capital One Academic All-America consideration. That team is scheduled to be announced Feb. 22.

Battista had an outstanding freshman year last winter, earning third-team All-Northeast-10 Conference honors while helping Bentley reach the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time in eight years, and is having an even better season this winter.

The six-footer leads the Falcons in scoring (17.9 ppg), rebounds (7.3), field goal percentage (.537), free throw percentage (.825), free throws made (99) and free throws attempted (120).  She's among the Northeast-10 leaders in most of those categories, including second in scoring and free throws, seventh in field goal percentage and ninth in defensive rebounds.

Battista's season has included eight 20-point games, including five in a row from Dec.  18-Jan. 7, and a half-dozen double-doubles.  Season-highs include 29 points at Bridgeport and 14 rebounds against Stonehill.

Her efforts have helped Bentley, 18-3 overall, enter February tied for first in the NE-10 and ranked ninth nationally in Division II.

Battista is also making her mark in the classroom, with a 3.93 grade point average while majoring in both marketing and liberal studies.  She's put up a perfect 4.0 in each of her last two semesters.

Joining Battista on the All-District team were Marielle Giroud of Franklin Pierce, Nicolette Marcinek of C.W. Post, Megan Olsen of St. Michael's and Brianna Sloper of St. Thomas Aquinas.