Backes Named to Academic All-District First Team

Fulton, Mo. - Westminster College senior Rachel Backes (Tipton, Mo./Tipton) has been named to the 2012 Capital One First-Team Academic All-District Five Women's Basketball team, as announced Thursday by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Backes, who earned second team academic all-district honors last year, is majoring in biology. She is a Dean's List student, a member of Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society, and a two-time academic all-conference pick in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SLIAC). On the court, Backes is a three-time all-conference performer, a two-time conference all-tournament choice and she was named SLIAC Player of the Year last season for leading Westminster to its first-ever conference title. She currently averages 11.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals a game for the 16-3 league-leading Blue Jays.

First-Team Academic All-District honorees advance to the Capital One Academic All-America® Team ballot, where first-, second- and third-team All-America honorees will be selected later this month.

Photo Cutline: Rachel Backes directs the Blue Jay offense from her point-guard position in a recent win over Webster University (David Klaffenbach photo).

Courtesy Westminster College (Mo.) sports information