Press Release :: Women's Basketball Coaches Association

ATLANTA, Ga. - The Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) has selected Luther College’s Christina Gaard and Karen Thies of the University of Nebraska, Omaha as the 2007 WBCA Scholarship Award winners.

These awards are presented annually to two women’s basketball players in any of the five WBCA collegiate divisions (NCAA Division I, II, III, NAIA and Junior College/Community College) who have demonstrated outstanding commitment to the sport of women’s basketball and to academic excellence. The scholarships enable deserving student-athletes to complete their undergraduate degrees or to begin work on advanced degrees. Each award is in the amount of $1,000.

“Christina and Karen are student-athletes who stand above the rest both academically and athletically," said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. "These exceptional student-athletes are deserving of this year’s WBCA Scholarship Award for their efforts on and off the court.  I wish them the best as they continue their future career endeavors.”

Gaard, senior guard, is a three-year starter, two-time First Team all-Iowa Conference selection, three-time Academic All-Conference selection and most recently scored her 1000^th career point in Luther’s 60-47 victory over Loras College in the Iowa Conference Tournament championship game. 

A steady member of the Dean’s list since 2004, Gaard is majoring in Biology with a minor in Spanish and an overall GPA of 3.68.  She is a Health Science Club member, Student Athlete Advisory Committee member, Spanish translator for the Decorah Food Pantry, and Alpha Phi Omega Service Fraternity member working with the American Red Cross, MDA and Habitat for Humanity.  On top of all of her community involvement, Gaard has been a two-sport athlete lettering in softball for three years. 

A Colorado native, Thies has been a standout student-athlete since arriving on the UNO campus.  In only three seasons at UNO, Thies has tallied 1,212 points placing her as 11^th in career scoring.  She also ranks second in career three-pointers (167), seventh in career assists and fifth in career steals.  She has had nine 20 point-plus performances and two double-double outings. 

Named to the NCC All-Academic team and to the CoSIDA ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District team, Thies is a Business Marketing major carrying a 3.71 overall GPA.

Gaard and Thies will be formally presented their awards during the WBCA Awards luncheon presented by State Farm and Jostens on Tuesday, April 3, at 12:00 p.m. (ET) in the Crowne Plaza’s Grand Ballroom. The awards luncheon is part of the 2007 WBCA National Convention and is held in conjunction with the NCAA® Women’s Final Four® in Cleveland, Ohio.

Founded in 1981, the WBCA promotes women's basketball by unifying coaches at all levels to develop a reputable identity for the sport and to foster and promote the development of the game in all of its aspects as a sport for women and girls. For more information about the WBCA, please visit WBCA.org.