June 19, 2003

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina rower Kara Kerscher topped off her collegiate career with Academic All-America All-District honors, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America and awarded by Verizon. Kerscher, a senior from Cincinnati, earned a spot on the 10-member District 3 at-large second team.

The at-large women's team was open to competitors in the sports of crew, fencing, field hockey, golf, gymnastics, ice hockey, lacrosse, rifle, skiing, swimming, tennis and water polo. Nomination required a GPA of 3.2 or better and was open to starters or key reserves who had attained at least sophomore standing.

Two other Tar Heel student-athletes made the District 3 women's team. Swimmer Jessi Perruquet and gymnast Natalie Halbach both were named to the 10-member first team. Perruquet went on to earn Academic All-America honors.

Kerscher earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors this spring, when she stroked UNC's varsity eight all season. She served as a team captain and was the recipient of the squad's Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award. A Spanish/exercise and sport science double major, she earned ACC Academic Honor Roll and Dean's List honors and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.