March 14, 2000
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame junior center Ruth Riley (Macy, Ind.) was named on Tuesday to the Associated Press All-America first team. She becomes the first first-team All-America in the program’s history. Freshman guard Alicia Ratay (Lake Zurich, Ill.) was named to the honorable mention team.
Riley, who earned third team honors as a sophomore was joined on the first team by Tamika Catchings of Tennessee, Kelly Miller of Georgia and Connecticut’s Svetlana Abrosimova and Shea Ralph.
Named to the second were Semeka Randall (Tennessee), Edwina Brown (Texas), Katie Douglas (Purdue), Jackie Stiles (Southwest Missouri State) and Stacey Frese (Iowa State). The third team honorees included Grace Daley (Tulane), Erin Buescher (Cal Santa Barbara), Helen Darling (Penn State), Betty Lennox (Louisiana Tech) and Tamicha Jackson (Louisiana Tech).
Riley, the BIG EAST defensive player-of-the-year and a first-team all-BIG EAST selection for the consecutive year, led the Irish in scoring and rebounding for the second straight year averaging 16.2 points and 7.3 rebounds. She currently ranks fifth in the nation in blocked shots (2.7) and seventh in field goal percentage (.608).
Ratay was named the BIG EAST rookie-of-the-year and was also selected to the all-rookie team. She currently ranks as the team’s second-leading scorer (14.8 ppg.) and rebounder (5.1 rpg.). Ratay ranks sixth nationally in three-point field goal percentage (.486).
Only two other players – Katryna Gaither and Beth Morgan – have earned AP All-America honors. Both were honorable mention selections in 1996 and 1997.