SPOKANE, Wash. -- Whitworth University women's basketball player Alida Bower has been recognized by regional college sports information directors for excellence on the court and in the classroom and has been named to the ESPN The Magazine CoSIDA Academic All-District VIII College Division women's basketball team. She is a First Team selection.

Alida Bower

Bower (RS Jr., F, Onalaska, Wash.) carries a 3.74 grade point average as an elementary education major. She has come back from an early-season knee injury to lead the Pirates in scoring this season with a 13.3 points per game average. She also leads the team in steals per game (1.7) and is second in rebounds per game (5.6). She has made 39.6% of her three-point tries and ranks second in the Northwest Conference in three-pointers made per game (2.4).

The college-division Academic All-District VIII teams are selected from NCAA Division II, Division III and NAIA players throughout the western United States. The players are nominated and selected by members of CoSIDA. To be eligible for nomination, a player must be a starter or important reserve with a 3.20 cumulative grade point average and of sophomore standing.

Bower has helped lead the Pirates into the Northwest Conference playoff chase this season.

Bower is also now a candidate for CoSIDA's Academic All-American College Division team.