May 29, 2009

WOODLAND, Calif. - UCLA sophomores Kelly Easterday and Katie Estrada of the women's water polo team have earned Academic All-MPSF honors, as announced by the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation on Friday afternoon. Easterday and Estrada have both secured the conference's academic honor for the first time in their respective college careers.

Easterday, a sophomore defender hailing from Santa Barbara, Calif., helped lead UCLA to its fifth consecutive NCAA title with 12 goals in 2009. A key defender for the Bruins, Easterday scored one goal in each of UCLA's first two NCAA Tournament games in May (vs. Marist and Stanford).

Estrada, a sophomore center from Coronado, Calif., registered eight goals for the Bruins in 2009. She twice netted a season-high two goals during the regular season and added one goal in UCLA's 12-11 last-second victory over Stanford in the NCAA Tournament semifinals (May 9).

Student-athletes must compile a 3.0 or better cumulative grade point average to remain eligible for Academic All-MPSF honors. In addition, student-athletes must be at least of sophomore standing academically and must have competed in 50 percent or more of the team's competition.