Nov. 6, 2003
Duquesne University's Lauren Bracco (Dix Hills, N.Y./Half Hallow Hills West), Caitlin Holmes (Loveland, Ohio/Loveland) and Becky Barritt (Denver, Colo./Upper St. Clair - Pa.) have been named 2003 District 2 Women's Soccer Academic All-America honorees. Bracco and Holmes are first team selections while Barritt earns a spot on the second team. They are three of just 22 Division I student-athletes from Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey and West Virginia to be selected. Bracco and Holmes will now be listed on the National Team ballot which will be released on Nov. 25.
Bracco, a senior, earns her second Academic All-America honor as she was tabbed a second team selection last season. She boasts a 3.55 grade point average in physical therapy and was named a 2002 Atlantic 10 Academic All-Conference pick. She led the Dukes with 10 goals this year setting a new Duquesne single-season mark and netted six of the Dukes' eight game-winning goals. A 2003 first team All-Atlantic 10 pick, Bracco stands first at Duquesne with 16 career goals, nine career game-winning goals and is tied for second with 37 career points.
Holmes earns her first Academic All-America accolade posting a 3.96 grade point average in physics. The junior defender helped Duquesne record four team shutouts and record the most wins in a season (eight) since the 1998 campaign. Holmes has aided in the Dukes allowing just 1.55 goals per game and has assisted on two goals this year as well. She has also seen time as a midfielder. Holmes is a member of the Honors College and Phi Eta Sigma.
Barritt, a senior defender, was a key component to the Dukes' defense which allowed just 32 goals and boasted a 1.55 goals against average. She aided in four team shutouts and would challenge the opponent's top scoring threat in each match. She served as a midfielder the
previous three seasons and racked up nine goals and three assists over her career. She was a 2001 USAA All-American Scholar and owns a 3.81 GPA in Communications. This is her first Academic All-America citation.
To be eligible for the Academic All-America award, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore at their institution, be a starter or important reserve and have at least a 3.20 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.00 scale).
The trio joins the Dukes' Jason Kutney who was named to the men's soccer District 2 team as well.
The Academic All-America soccer teams are the first of 12 that will be selected this academic year.
