June 23, 2006

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Laura Gerraughty, a member of the North Carolina track and field team, has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). A native of Nashua, N.H., Gerraughty was honored for the third year in a row.

Gerraughty was one of three Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes named to the 15-member first team, along with Wake Forest's Anne Bersagel and Florida State's Lacy Janson. Nominees for Academic All-America honors must be starters or key reserves on their teams, must carry a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 or better, and must have reached at least sophomore standing.

Gerraughty majored in biology at UNC and finished her undergraduate degree in May of 2005 with a 3.65 grade point average. She held senior athletic eligibility for the 2005-06 school year while taking graduate courses.

The winner of the shot put championship at the 2006 NCAA outdoor track and field championships last month, Gerraughty claimed four NCAA crowns during her UNC career and was a 10-time All-America selection.

During her senior season, Gerraughty became just the second woman in Atlantic Coast Conference history to win titles in the shot, discus and hammer in the same ACC meet. She finished her career with 13 individual conference titles and was named the ACC Most Valuable Performer for outdoor track and field in 2006.

The recipient of an ACC Jim and Pat Thacker postgraduate scholarship, Gerraughty was honored this spring with one of UNC's Mildred McCaskill Awards, which are presented annually to one male and one female senior student-athlete at North Carolina who excel in athletics, scholarship and service to the community. She also received the John Lotz Award, which recognizes a student-athlete who has demonstrated a passion to succeed under adverse circumstances, overcoming difficulties while maintaining a positive attitude.