COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Fort Lewis College women's basketball player Alex Easterbrook is the inaugural recipient of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference Summit Award for women's basketball, RMAC Assistant Commissioner Eric Danner announced today.
 
The RMAC Summit Award recognizes the true essence of the student-athlete by honoring the individual who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the conference championship level in his or her sport, while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. The RMAC Summit Award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average participating at the finals site for each of the RMAC's championships.
 
“We're very proud of Alex for all that she accomplished,” said first-year FLC head coach Jason Flores. “Being named to the third team all-conference as a player and as an Academic All-American and now this award just proves what a great person and a great player she is.”
 
Flores said Easterbrook has set an example for her teammates and future Skyhawks.
 
“She's a hard act to follow,” he said. “She's perfect in the classroom and works really hard on the court. That's something that anyone can learn from.”
 
All GPAs are based on a straight grading scale to ensure consistency among institutions. Any tie is broken by the number of credits completed.
 
Eligible student-athletes are sophomores or above who have participated in their sport for at least two years with their school. They must be an active member of the team, traveling, and competing at the championship.
 
A 5-foot-6 senior guard from Cactus Shadows High School in Scottsdale, Ariz., Easterbrook carries a perfect 4.00 grade point average in Psychology. Last month, she became the first Capital One Academic All-America® women's basketball player (and ninth student-athlete from any sport) in FLC history when she was named to the Academic All-America third team. She also earned Capital One Academic All-District 6 and RMAC All-Academic first team accolades as senior after receiving RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll distinction the previous two years.
 
For her efforts on the hardwood, Easterbrook was selected to the All-RMAC third team yesterday. She leads the RMAC in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.7) and ranks among league leaders in assists (third, 101), steals (fourth, 58), three-pointers (tenth, 48), three-point shooting (12th, 36.4 percent) and field goal shooting (24th, 40.3 percent).

She also ranks among FLC leaders in three-pointers (13th, 82) and assists (16th, 216).
 
Easterbrook is the last remaining member of FLC's 2009-10 squad that advanced to the NCAA Division II national championship game. During her career, FLC has enjoyed unprecedented success on and off the court. The Skyhawks have won a pair of RMAC Shootout championships (2011 and 2012) and one RMAC regular season crown (2010), advanced to three straight NCAA tournaments (2010 through 2012) and maintained a Top 25 team grade point average for NCAA Division II women's basketball each year.
 
She becomes the second Skyhawk to receive the RMAC Summit Award in 2012-13, joining men's cross country runner Zach Chenoweth, who received the same honor last November.
 
Fort Lewis (18-9) is the fourth seed in the RMAC Shootout and faces league champion, top seed and fourth-ranked nationally Colorado Mesa (26-1) at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow in Brownson Arena in Grand Junction, Colo. The Mavs won the RMAC regular season title and swept FLC during the regular season: a 77-62 win in Whalen Gymnasium on Dec. 16 and a 76-68 victory in Grand Junction last Saturday.
 
The Mavericks lead the all-time series 35-29 since FLC began keeping women's basketball records during the 1982-83 season. The two have only met twice in the postseason, with each school picking up an NAIA District VII playoff win on its home court (Mesa State won 91-75 on Feb. 27, 1990, while Fort Lewis triumphed 57-56 on Feb. 28, 1986). None of the current FLC players were born the last time the two met in the postseason.
 
The other RMAC semifinal features second-seeded Metro State (20-9) and sixth-seeded Colorado Christian (17-10) at 5:30 p.m. Friday in Brownson Arena. The semifinal winners will meet in the RMAC championship game at 7 p.m. Saturday, also at Colorado Mesa.
 
The Skyhawks have won the past two league tournament titles and have now advanced to the RMAC Shootout semifinals six years in a row.