Press Release :: Women's Basketball Coaches Association

The $4,500 Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship Award is presented annually to one female collegiate basketball player who intends to pursue graduate work and a career in sports communications/journalism.

"The WBCA is elated to present this year's Robin Roberts/WBCA Broadcasting Scholarship Award to Courtney," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. " 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 receive the award on Sunday, April 2 during the WBCA Awards Luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens at 12:30 p.m. (ET) in the Hynes Convention Center Ballroom. The luncheon is a part of the 2006 WBCA National Convention held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women's Final Four® in Boston, Mass. This year the WBCA celebrates it's Silver Anniversary, marking 25 years of existence.

Hailing from Ventura, Calif., LaVere is leading the Fighting Irish in field goal percentage at 52 percent, blocked shots averaging 1.46 and ranks third in scoring with 8.6 points per game this season. She stands sixth with total blocked shots (134) and sixth in blocks per game (1.14) in the Notre Dame record books. Recently, she became the 22nd player in Notre Dame's history to become a 1,000-point scorer and 18th on the list with 1,109 total points. As a senior forward, LaVere has had a large role in Notre Dame's two NCAA Sweet-Sixteen berths in 2003 and 2004. In 2003, she was named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team.

Academically, LaVere was named to the BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team last season. She is enrolled in the College of Arts and Letters as a double major in film, television & theater and computer applications. Two summers ago, she interned in the sports department at South Bend's NBC affiliate, WNDU-TV. LaVere is scheduled to graduate this May.