Senior forward Courtney LaVere (foreground) broke into the broadcasting industry two summers ago when she interned at WNDU-TV, the NBC affiliate in South Bend, under the direction of legendary sports director Jeff Jeffers (right). LaVere was tapped to receive the Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship Award and will be honored April 2 at a luncheon in Boston.

Courtney LaVere To Receive Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship Award

March 9, 2006

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Notre Dame senior forward and co-captain Courtney LaVere (Ventura, Calif./Buena) has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association’s Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship Award, it was announced Thursday. The $4,500 honor is presented annually to one women’s college basketball player who intends to pursue graduate work and a career in sports communications/journalism. LaVere is the first Irish player ever to be chosen for the award.

“This is such a tremendous honor and I am grateful to both the WBCA and Robin Roberts for their faith and support in me,” LaVere said. “My four years at Notre Dame have been among the most rewarding and fulfilling of my life. I am looking forward to starting the next phase of my career in the broadcasting arena and this scholarship will be an excellent step in that direction.”

“Courtney has been a vital contributor to our team and our University since the moment she set foot on campus,” Irish head coach Muffet McGraw said. “Her hard work on the court, especially down the stretch this season, and her dedication in the classroom have made her a very deserving choice for this scholarship. I have no doubt she will be successful in broadcasting and I look forward to seeing her on the other side of the microphone in the coming years.”

LaVere currently leads Notre Dame in field goal percentage (.515) and blocked shots (1.69 bpg.), ranking fifth in the BIG EAST Conference in the latter category. She is also third on the team in scoring (9.1 ppg.) and has been particularly effective in the past 10 Irish games, averaging 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 blocks per game with a .574 field goal percentage and eight double-digit scoring games. For her career, she ranks fifth in school history with 145 blocks and 1.2 blocks per game, while also standing 18th in the Notre Dame record books with 1,148 points.

In the classroom, LaVere maintains a 3.1 cumulative grade-point average in the College of Arts and Letters, where she is pursuing a double major in film, television & theater and computer applications. She was a BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team selection last year and is poised to be a repeat choice this season. In the summer of 2004, LaVere broke into the broadcasting industry with an internship in the sports department at WNDU-TV, the NBC affiliate in South Bend.

“The WBCA is elated to present this year’s Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship Award to Courtney,” WBCA CEO Beth Bass said. “She has proven herself on the court while remaining very successful in the classroom. We wish her the best in her future professional endeavors.”

LaVere will be honored at the WBCA Awards Luncheon, presented by State Farm and Jostens, at 12:30 p.m. (ET) on Sunday, April 2 at the Hynes Convention Center Ballroom in Boston. LaVere’s classmate, All-America guard Megan Duffy, also will be recognized at the luncheon, receiving the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the nation’s top senior player standing 5-foot-8 or under. This banquet is part of the 25th annual WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA Women’s Final Four, scheduled for April 2 & 4 at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston.

Winners in four of its last five games, Notre Dame (18-11) is awaiting the announcement of the 64-team NCAA Tournament field Monday at 7 p.m. (ET) on ESPN. The Irish have appeared in the event each of the past 10 seasons, winning at least one NCAA tourney game every year.

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