University of San Francisco Athletics

Complete release

SAN FRANCISCO – Headlined by redshirt junior Paige Spietz, the San Francisco women's basketball team placed three on the West Coast Conference All-Academic squads, announced by the league offices today.

A native of Brimfield, Ill., Spietz earned a spot on the All-Academic first team, one of 10 women to earn distinction this season. She maintains a 3.38 grade-point average in her environmental science studies.

"This is a great accomplishment for Paige. She transferred to a school with very high academic standards, and has balanced that with really coming on as a force in our conference as a player," head coach Jennifer Azzi said. "She's really improved tremendously since she's been here and she's really coming into her own as a player and to balance that with high academic performance is outstanding."

Spietz came to USF after two years at Missouri, and after sitting out a season due to transfer regulations has become an integral cog in the USF starting lineup this season. She is averaging 7.6 points on .437 shooting and 5.4 rebounds a game and has started 27 of the Dons' 28 contests this year. Jumping for the opening tip, the 6-3 forward has controlled the first possession in 70.3 percent of her starts.

Alexa Hardick earned honorable mentioned status for the second-consecutive season. The senior from Dallas, Texas, will graduate with a degree in finance after sporting a 3.39 gpa. jamie Katuna makes her first appearance on the all-academic squad, rewarded for her 3.62 gpa while majoring in exercise sport science. Katuna, a junior from Longmont, Colo., aspires to pursue a medical degree after completing her undergraduate studies at USF.

"I think it's a great honor for both Tex and Jamie as well to balance the load of classes, and they're both in tough majors," Azzi noted. "To do that with the full time of being a student-athlete is a credit to their ability to balance their time. They're two of the most dedicated players in the program and they put in extra time on the court as well as succeeding academically. It is a testament for their desire for excellence in everything they are involved in."

Katuna has played in 19 contests for the Dons this season, earning the starting nod at Loyola Marymount on Jan 1. She contributes 4.1 points on a team-high 53.2 percent shooting. Hardick adds 3.7 points a night for USF and the long-range threat swishes 34.2 percent of her attempts from three. She has become a staple in USF's primary rotation throughout the conference slate, making seven starts for the Dons.

In order to be considered for inclusion on the WCC All-Academic team a student-athlete must maintain a 3.2 cumulative gpa while being a significant contributor to her team.

USF closes out its regular-season schedule Saturday at Hardick's Senior Day game against Loyola Marymount. First tip is slated for 2 p.m.

2013-14 WEST COAST CONFERENCE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM