Notre Dame Fighting Irish - Official Athletics Website

Alicia Ratay Named Finalist For National Scholar-Athlete Of Year

April 5, 2003

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior guard Alicia Ratay has been chosen as one of three finalists for the inaugural Creamland Dairies Women’s Collegiate Basketball Student-Athlete of the Year award. The three finalists will be present in Albuquerque, N.M., on Wednesday, April 9 at the awards banquet to be held at the Albuquerque Marriott Hotel. Jimmy Dykes, college basketball analyst for ESPN will emcee the event.

Presented by the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB), this new award will honor one male and one female basketball student-athlete who has made a commitment to achievement on the playing field, in the classroom and in their community. Ratay is joined in this year’s final trio by Tulsa’s Allison Curtin and Tiffany Kyser of IUPUI.

“We are extremely proud of the finalists for this award,” said Dan Ballou, Director of Sports Marketing for ACVB. “It was a tough process of elimination because of the number of deserving student-athletes, yet the three finalists are the young people of character we were looking for when we created this award.”

Ratay recently completed her Notre Dame career as one of the top players in school history. She ranks in the top 10 in 14 career statistical categories, including school records for three-point field goals made (262), three-point field goal attempts (550), three-point percentage (.476), free throw percentage (.872) and games started (129). She also graduates as the top three-point shooter in NCAA history, and the sixth-best free throw shooter in NCAA annals, becoming the only player to rank in the top 10 on both NCAA career lists.

A two-time honorable mention Associated Press All-American and a three-time all-BIG EAST Conference selection, Ratay helped the Irish to a 102-28 record during her career, including four NCAA Tournament appearances, three Sweet Sixteen berths and the 2001 NCAA championship. Off the court, she has been an exemplary student, twice earning Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-District V Second Team laurels. In addition, she was chosen as the 2003 Aeropostale/BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Notre Dame closed out the 2002-03 season with a 21-11 record, advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for the fifth time in seven seasons. The Irish also posted their 10th consecutive 20-win campaign and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight year. Notre Dame will have four starters and seven monogram winners returning next season.

— ND —