Blazing Earns Third Academic All-America Selection

DURHAM, N.C. – Duke field hockey goalkeeper Lauren Blazing was honored with first team Academic All-America distinction by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Thursday. It marked the third consecutive year Blazing was a first team selection to the Division I Women's At-Large Team.

The at-large teams for the Academic All-America® program include the sports of fencing, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming & diving, tennis and water polo for both men and women, as well as beach volleyball, bowling, crew and field hockey for women, and volleyball and wrestling for men.

A redshirt senior from Durham, N.C., Blazing was one of 15 student-athletes named to the 2016 Division I Women's At-Large First Team, and one of just five three-time Academic All-America picks among this year's selections.

Blazing is the only player in Duke field hockey history to receive Academic All-America recognition, and one of just eight Duke student-athletes to garner the accolade as a member of an at-large team. In addition, Blazing is the 17th Duke student-athlete to earn multiple Academic All-America laurels and the fourth to earn the award three times (Max Quinzani 2008-10, men's lacrosse; Amanda Blumenherst 2007-09, women's golf; Mike Diminick 1986-88, football).

Blazing graduated with a 3.99 GPA while earning degrees in cultural anthropology and political science. Her numerous academic honors include receiving a Heidrick Family Postgraduate Scholarship from Duke and being named one of the Blue Devils' two ACC Senior Scholar Athletes of the Year, joining fellow Academic All-America selection Deemer Class of the men's lacrosse team. Earlier this spring, she was recognized as an NFHCA Scholar of Distinction for the fourth consecutive season and was selected the 2015 Division I National Scholar Athlete by the same organization.

At the conference level, Blazing was named the ACC Field Hockey Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the second straight season and was honored with an ACC postgraduate scholarship. The fall saw her receive the Elite 90 Award with the highest cumulative GPA at the 2015 NCAA Field Hockey Championship Banquet.

On the field, Blazing concluded her career on a high note in 2015, garnering first team All-America distinction from the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA). She was also a first team NFHCA All-South Region and All-ACC choice while guiding the Blue Devils to the NCAA semifinals for the second time in three seasons. Blazing paced all conference goalkeepers and ranked fourth nationally in save percentage (.786) and was tabbed a finalist for the Honda Sport Award for field hockey.

Over her four seasons in goal for Duke, Blazing compiled a 49-29 ledger and became just the seventh player in program history to earn All-America accolades on three or more occasions. She rounded out her career ranked third at Duke in career saves (385) and goals against average (1.46) and was eighth in save percentage (.767). She has also represented the program on the international level as a member of the U.S. women's national team, earning her first international cap in February.

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