BRIDGEWATER STATE'S FURTADO NAMED TO ESPN THE MAGAZINE ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM 

BRIDGEWATER, MA, Feb. 8, 2007 - Bridgewater State College senior forward Catie Furtado has been selected to the 2006-2007 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District One College Division Second Team in voting conducted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). 

Furtado, who majors in English, was the only representative from the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) voted on to the regional team. She presently carries an impressive 3.76 grade point average as she has been a Dean's List student in each of her first seven semesters at Bridgewater State.

A native of Taunton, Massachusetts, Furtado currently leads the MASCAC in field goal percentage as she is shooting 52% (130-for-248) from the floor.  She is also third in the conference in scoring (14.9 ppg) and blocked shots (21), and seventh overall in rebounding (6.9 rpg). Catie set the Bears' single-game scoring mark back in December when she dropped in 35 points in a 76-49 win at home over Pine Manor College. She also pulled down a career-best 17 rebounds in that game for a double-double.  All told, she has posted five double-doubles on the season and eight in her career.

Earlier this week, Furtado was named the MASCAC Women's Basketball Player of the Week for the first time in her career as she averaged 19.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals while shooting 64% (18-for-28) from the field in a pair of games for the Bears last week.  She poured in 26 points on 12 of 18 shooting while also registering 9 rebounds, 4 steals, 3 assists and 3 blocked shots in a 95-63 win over Framingham State.  Catie also scored 13 points on 6 of 10 shooting in BSC's 70-66 overtime loss at Westfield.

In 84 games over four seasons at Bridgewater State, Furtado has scored 889 points and pulled down 451 rebounds as she is averaging 10.6 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.  She also has 115 steals to her credit as well as 66 blocked shots.

Founded by CoSIDA in 1952, the Academic All-America and All-District Teams program recognizes and awards our nation's premier college scholar-athletes for their ability to achieve excellence on the playing field and in the classroom.