Ward Named Academic All-District III

DURHAM, N.C. - Three-time NCAA Champion Becca Ward was named to the Capital One Academic All-District III Women's At-Large Team, as announced on Friday by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

It is the second straight Academic All-District III selection for Ward, a senior who posted a 3.52 grade point average as a public policy major and is a three-time member of the ACC Academic Honor Roll. Ward won the NCAA Women's Saber Championship in 2009, 2011 and 2012, becoming the first Duke student-athlete in school history to win three individual NCAA titles.

A native of Portland, Ore., Ward finished her four-year Duke career with a 272-7 (.975) record and four straight trips to the NCAA Championship bout. Ward was also named Duke's Female Student-Athlete of the Year.

During her four years in Durham, Ward took the Duke fencing program to new heights. She led the team to a 10^th-place NCAA finish in 2010, ninth place in 2011 and ninth place again in 2012 for the program's first top-10 finishes. Additionally, the Duke women's fencing team set school wins records during her final three years and cracked the USFCA Coaches Poll Top-10 this season.

Along with Ward, Duke men's lacrosse player CJ Costabile, men's fencer Anthony Lin and women's diver Jessica Lyden were also named to the Capital One Academic All-District III Team. All four are now eligible for Academic All-America honors.

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