May 23, 2007

PHILADELHPIA - Saint Joseph's rower Debbie Bateman has been named to the ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District At-Large Second Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Bateman, from Longport, NJ (Mainland Regional High School), has earned a host of academic honors. She was recently chosen as the Philadelphia Inquirer's Women's Rowing Academic All-Area Performer of the Year. Bateman was selected to the 2007 Atlantic 10 All-Academic Women's Rowing Team and received SJU's Academic Award for her team while also being named the Most Outstanding Player for SJU women's rowing.

She has been a member of the Hawks' Varsity 8 boat for the past two years. This season, that boat captured the Kelly Cup as the Philadelphia city champion, while also taking second place at the San Diego Crew Classic, for the Hawks' best finish ever at that meet. Bateman helped the Varsity 8 finish fifth in the Atlantic 10 Championships, helping the Hawks to a fourth-place overall finish.

Bateman was a member of the 2006 Varsity 8 that won the Dad Vail Regatta and participated at the Henley Regatta in England. She is a marketing major with a 3.9 grade-point average.