March 20, 2007

CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA . . . Three Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) women’s basketball players were recognized for their standout seasons by d3hoops.com and Women’s DIII News as the two media outlets announced their postseason honors.

Luther College senior guard Christina Gaard (Decorah, Iowa/Decorah) was named a Third Team All-American by d3hoops.com. She is the first Luther player, and fifth Iowa Conference player, to earn All-American honors from the web site since 2000. Earlier this month she was a First Team All-West Region selection by d3hoops.com.

Luther sophomore forward Blair Ernst (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Washington) was named to the Women’s DIII News All-American Fifth Team. She is just the second Iowa Conference player to earn All-American honors from the magazine, joining Central’s Emile Hanson (1994, 1995). Earlier this month she was recognized as a Kodak/WBCA honorable mention All-American and a d3hoops.com All-West Region First Team pick.

Ernst and Gaard are the first Luther women’s basketball All-Americans since Kari Tufte was a three-time All-American in the mid-1990s (1994, 1995, 1996).

Buena Vista University freshman guard Margo Muhlbauer (Manilla, Iowa/IKM) was one of 10 freshmen from around the nation named to the Women’s DIII News All-Freshman Team. Earlier this month she was a d3hoops.com All-West Region Second Team pick. It marks the fifth straight year a Buena Vista women’s basketball player has earned some type of national postseason award.

In addition to Gaard, Ernst and Muhlbauer’s honors, Simpson College junior forward Katelyn Whiton (Panora, Iowa/Perry) and Loras College junior forward Kyle White (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) received honorable mention All-American honors from the Women’s DIII News and the DIII News, respectively.

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