Bonnie Ryan
GoSycamores.com
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. -- Senior guard Kelsey Luna has earned ESPN The Magazine First-Team Academic All-America distinction, the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) announced Tuesday. The Academic All-America teams are selected by a vote of sports information directors around the nation, and five student-athletes are included on the first team.
With a perfect 4.0 grade-point average in psychology, Luna was previously a Second-Team Academic All-American as a junior. The 2010 season also marks three straight years that she has been named to an academic all-district team, having earned first-team status the last two years and second-team plaudits in her sophomore season.
Indiana State boasts an Academic All-American in each of the last five seasons, most recently with Luna as a second-team selection in 2008-09 and her current first-team award for 2009-10. Previously, Laura Rudolphi was a two-time honoree in 2006-07 and 2007-08, and Melanie Boeglin took first-team status in 2005-06.
ISU is one of only three schools, along with Tennessee and Maryland, to lead the way with five women's basketball Academic All-Americans in the last five seasons. In addition, Indiana State is the only institution with at least one women's basketball Academic All-American for the last five consecutive years (2005-06 to 2009-10).
In her final campaign, Luna has twice been named MVC Player of the Week and reached the 1,000 career points milestone in her first game of the season with a career-best 37 at Kansas State. Last weekend at Southern Illinois, she moved into the top 10 on ISU's all-time scoring charts with a career total of 1,347 points. She averages 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Luna is ranked second nationally in free throw percentage at 91.8 percent, having made 90-of-98 shots from the line. Earlier this season, she hit 44 consecutive free throws from Nov. 14 to Dec. 12, passing the previous school record of 33 set by former Sycamore Kourtney Mennen in 2003. Luna's mark also ranks second all-time in Missouri Valley Conference history.
Additionally, Luna needs just four 3-pointers to pass Mennen (256) as the all-time career leader in triples made. Luna has 45 so far in her senior season and a career total of 253 treys.
Indiana State returns to action on Friday, Feb. 26 when it hosts Northern Iowa, and tipoff is set for 7:05 p.m. (ET) at Hulman Center. The Sycamores also host Bradley on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 2:05 p.m., and Senior Day festivities honoring Luna, Sarah Paul and Laurence Rivest will follow the game.
2010 COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
Kelsey Luna, Indiana State, Sr., St. Louis, Mo., Psychology (4.0)
Angie Bjorklund, Tennessee, Jr., Spokane Valley, Wash., Psychology (3.80)
Erin Anthony, U.S. Military Academy, Jr., Allentown, Pa., Civil Engineering (3.78)
Maya Moore, Connecticut, Jr., Lawrenceville, Ga., Individualized Major (3.70)
Liz Repella, West Virginia, Jr., Steubenville, Ohio, Exercise Physiology (3.95)
