May 22, 2001

Notre Dame, Ind. - Notre Dame rowing standout Leah Ashe (Sr., Orchard Park, N.Y.) has been selected to the Verizon/CoSIDA Academic All-District Five at-large team for spring sports.

The senior rower is joined on the team by three other Notre Dame student-athletes. Joining Ashe on the women's 10 member team is All-American sprinter Liz Grow (Jr., New Braunfels, Texas). Named to the men's 10 man team were lacrosse standout Mike Adams (Sr., Wilton, Conn.) and golfer Steve Ratay (Jr., Arlington Heights, Ill.). All four athletes now go on their respective national ballots for Verizon Academic All-America honors. The women's team will be announced on June 14th, two days after the men's announcement (June 12).

Ashe was a key member of the Notre Dame women's rowing team that achieved its best season in the three-year history of the program. Rowing in the bow seat of the second varsity eight that finished second at the BIG EAST Rowing Challenge, Ashe was her team's winner of the Notre Dame Club of St. Joseph Valley's Rockne Student-Athlete Award. For the year, the Notre Dame crew team was ranked 16th in the nation and won four races including the Indiana Cup, the Chicago Chase, the Head of the Rock and the Head of the Elk while placing second at the San Diego Crew Classic. Ashe has graduated with a 3.873 grade-point average in mechanical engineering.

The Academic All-America Spring At-Large teams are chosen from student-athletes participating in seven spring sports - rowing (women), lacrosse, indoor/outdoor track, water polo (women), golf, tennis and volleyball (men). The teams are then selected in voting by the College Sports Information Directors of America.