Western Washington University placed two men, center Chris Mitchell and forward Damien Fisher, and two women, point guard Corinn Waltrip and shooting guard Brandi Benner, on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Basketball Academic all-star team.
It is the third straight year that Mitchell and Waltrip have earned the honor, while Benner and Fisher were both picked for the first time.
Mitchell was named to the CoSIDA Capital One Academic NCAA Division II All-District first team earlier this season. A senior from Everson and a graduate of Nooksack Valley High School, he is a physical education - pre-healthcare - major with a 3.46 grade point average.
Mitchell is averaging 9.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on a men's team that is 25-1 and ranked No. 3 nationally.
Waltrip is a psychology major with a 3.63 GPA. She is averaging 12.3 points and ranks third nationally in 3-point field-goal shooting at 45.5 percent. A senior from Tigard, Ore., Waltrip has helped the women's team to a 21-3 record and a national ranking of No. 7.
Benner, a junior from Lynden, is a kinesiology-health and fitness major, who is maintaining a 3.67 GPA, and Fisher, a senior from Fife, is a kinesiology-movement studies major with a 3.83 GPA.
To be eligible for the GNAC academic team, student-athletes must earn a letter, have a minimum grade point average of 3.20 and be in at least their second year of competition at their university.
