Duke Places Five on All-ACC Academic Rowing Team

DURHAM, N.C. - Five Duke rowers earned spots on the All-ACC Academic Rowing Team, including repeat selections Sara Couch and Katrina Weschler, the Atlantic Coast Conference announced Friday.

Couch and Weschler, both seniors, appeared on the squad for the second time in their four-year career with Couch also making the cut in 2008 and Weschler in 2007. Juniors Janet Bartholdson, Steffi Decker and Lesley King also appeared on the 34-member academic team.

Couch, a Political Science major and native of Lexington, Ky., graduated from Duke with a 3.39 GPA. She was twice awarded the Mary Beth Nebel Award, which is handed out by Duke's coaching staff.

Weschler, a Cultural Anthropology major and native of Wilmette, Ill., graduated from Duke with a 3.66 GPA. In addition to twice earning All-ACC Academic honors, she is also a two-time CRCA National Rowing Scholar-Athlete honoree.

Bartholdson, meanwhile, is a History major and native of Malvern, Pa. She boasts a 3.63 GPA and was given the team's PCD Espirit de Corps Award in 2008, which is selected by the senior class and goes to the underclassman that best exemplifies Duke rowing.

Decker, a Political Science major from Scarsdale, N.Y., has a grade point average of 3.57. A former walk-on, Decker was named Duke's Freshman Rower of the Year in 2006 and solidified a starting job on Duke's eight this year.

King, a Biological Anthropology major out of Newcastle, Wash., concluded her junior season with a 3.70 GPA. She was Duke's lone representative on the All-ACC team in 2009 after leading Duke's top boat the entire season.

Duke had the third-most selections to the All-ACC Academic Team, trailing Clemson's 11 selections and Miami's six. King, meanwhile, was one of nine ACC rowers on the academic squad who also appeared on the All-ACC team this season.

2009 Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic Rowing Team