BLOOMINGTON, Ill. -- Christopher Newport University senior Barbara Davis (Catharpin, Va.) was announced as the winner of one of the most distinguished awards in NCAA sports today, as she collected the Elite 88 award for DIII women's basketball.

The Elite 88 is an award founded by the NCAA to recognize the true essence of the student-athlete, by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the national championship level in her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among her peers. The Elite 88 is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade-point average participating at the finals site for each of the NCAA's 88 championships.

Davis is a truly gifted student-athlete and a tremendous ambassador for Christopher Newport University. The senior forward not only is the team's leading rebounder and third leading scorer, but also carries a 3.92 GPA in Psychology and plans to attend graduate school to become a sports psychologist. She was selected to attend the prestigious "So You Want to be a Coach" program, held at the Division I Final Four and the WBCA National Convention.

Davis has helped lead Christopher Newport farther into the NCAA Tournament than ever before, as the team makes its first ever Final Four appearance tonight against #2 Amherst College (30-1) at 6:00 pm ET. She is averaging 8.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and is the leading rebounder remaining in the tournament.

The game will be live streamed over the internet at www.ncaa.com. A viewing party is being held on the campus of Christopher Newport University in the Concert Hall of the Ferguson Center.